Togetherness is well honed at Timor Awakening

Content warning: This article references suicide 

The program is based on an immersive experience in Timor Leste, meaning travel restrictions over the last two years impacted their ability to host the program in its usual overseas location. Excitedly, 2022 has seen Timor Awakening return to Timor Leste, with two programs already undertaken and preparations underway for the third and largest program in August. 

“We’re about to return to Timor, which is exciting,” Gary says.  

“We’re seeing an increase in interest and it’s going to be wonderful to go back to Timor to catch up with our Timorese friends face-to-face. We have adopted a motto of HAMUTUK, which in Tetun means togetherness.”  

A one-of-a-kind opportunity

Timor Awakening focuses on supporting veterans to build healthier lives as well as teaching them how to help other veterans. So far, the program has helped more than 550 Australian veterans and their partners.   

The 11-day veteran-led peer support program was developed in 2016 as a response to the increasing suicide crisis and diminishing mental and physical health among veterans. When travel restrictions impacted their ability to take the program to Timor, Veterans Care adjusted and provided a Queensland-based offering, to keep the momentum going and ensure veterans could still access the holistic health support.   

“What we’re trying to do is one of the most fundamental things,” Gary explains.  

“Our highest priority is to prevent veterans taking their own lives,” he says.  

“We can give them hope for the future. Both myself and Michael, our program director, and all of our team have experienced serious health problems. We are proof you can find ways to overcome them and still learn every day how to better manage your wellbeing.”  

The immersive program aims to create a positive disruption in the participant’s routine and give them the time and space to take pause, learn about themselves, and discover a positive way forward with the help of veteran peer mentors.  

While they give participants a template, Gary says it’s up to the veteran to think about how they will do it.  

“We are asking them to take responsibility for the life they want. We want them to think about how they’ll nurture their body, mind, soul, and relationships and develop a positive life purpose. Making a few healthier choices every day has a cumulative effect.” 

Guided by first-hand experience

All of Gary’s team members are veterans who can share their own lived experiences.  

“They leave feeling empowered and a part of something bigger. Much like being part of a community with an RSL Sub Branch or similar.” 

“Each day we’ll start with an inspiration and conversation then we will go and do an activity like yoga, volleyball, or surfing. During the most recent program we went to an ice bath, and everyone was asked to stay in for five minutes.  

“You think it is impossible, but the guide was teaching us mindfulness through the activity. He showed that if you can focus on breathing and stop thinking about how cold it is you can get through it.” 

It’s an activity that Gary believes reinforces the practical reflection and practices they’re trying to impart on their veteran participants.  

“We facilitate an experience where they can learn the lessons and see that they know it. That they can be in control to make positive choices that over time have a big impact on their day-to-day.” 

Likewise, a key focus of the Timor Awakening program is to give back to other communities.  

One of the activities during the Timor program includes taking participants to the veterans’ education training scheme (VETS) that Gary and his team have been developing for four years.  

“On each visit to East Timor, our veterans have been involved in practical aspects of building the facilities that help the Timorese veterans, including residential buildings, lecture facilities and more,” Gary says. 

“In some cases, they may work on technical aspects but also assist with, for example, building fences for the agriculture faculty. And we see our Timorese neighbours learn from veterans while they’re there, and then carry on the work in between our visits.” 

“We want to ensure our veteran community can find new hope, and we couldn’t run this invaluable service to the community – which is genuinely saving lives – without the support of RSL Queensland. 

“This is a program that doesn’t just run while the veteran is with us. We’re working with them in the three to four months prior and after to see how they’re going and keeping up to date with their journey.”  

RSL Queensland supports Veterans Care to deliver the Timor Awakening program. For additional information, visit the Timor Awakening website.