The emergency services PTSD organization ‘Boots on the Ground’ is looking for some help.
Sharon Bak is the new Northern Operations Manager for the 24/7 peer support service for first responders.
Bak says they need volunteer councillors so local emergency responders can talk to them about the difficulties of their job.
“I can pick up the phone, I can talk to someone and they understand, or may have seen, some of the things I have seen. But also this provides an opportunity to talk outside the workplace if someone is more comfortable with that.”
Bak adds the north is complex and the capacity for mental health services is more limited.
“Less access to mental health support. Small rural communities where it’s harder to talk openly sometimes. So we want to get northern people on those phones in order to be able to connect northern volunteers with first responders who call, if that’s something they’re more comfortable with.”
Bak says the organization has 145 volunteers across Ontario, but only six are stationed in our area. (Kenora, Thunder Bay, Fort Frances and Greenstone)
She would like to see a total of 10 spread out across the north.
Bak adds they will be fundraising in the future to bring a counselling trainer from southern Ontario to our region to help educate the volunteers.
For more information visit https://www.bootsontheground.ca/join-now-1
