Over the past few months, the Road Trauma Support WA (RTSWA) program has continued to connect with communities, services and organisations across metropolitan and regional Western Australia to raise awareness of the impacts of road trauma and the support available.
A recent highlight has been the delivery of weekly ‘Supporting Others in Distress’ workshops at Perth Children’s Hospital. The workshops support staff who regularly work with children and families affected by road crashes, serious injury, and trauma, providing practical skills to recognise signs of distress, respond with confidence and support their own wellbeing while caring for others.
Through activities like these, we continue to strengthen referral pathways, build local networks and ensure people impacted by road trauma can access support when they need it.
If your community, organisation or service would like to learn more about education and training opportunities, referral pathways or available resources, we encourage you to contact the Injury Matters team to discuss how we may be able to support you.
The Noongar Season ‘Makuru’ is represented by the colour dark blue as it symbolises rain and cold weather. Makuru sees the coldest and wettest time of the year in the South West. Traditionally, this was a good time of the year to move back inland from the coast as the winds turned to the west and south bringing the cold weather, rains and occasionally snow on the peaks of the Stirling and Porongurup Ranges.
Connecting with Kimberley Communities
A recent highlight for the RTSWA team was a road trip through the Kimberley, visiting Broome, Derby and Fitzroy Crossing.
During the visit, the team met with local communities, Aboriginal organisations, health services, emergency responders and other stakeholders to discuss the impacts of road trauma and the support needs of people living in regional and remote areas.
The trip provided a valuable opportunity to listen, learn and strengthen relationships, while gaining greater insight into local road safety issues, community priorities and opportunities to improve support for people affected by road trauma.
We thank everyone who took the time to meet with us and share their knowledge, experiences and perspectives.
New Aboriginal Resources
Road Trauma Support WA has released three new Aboriginal fact sheets and an Aboriginal-specific RTSWA poster to support Aboriginal people, families and communities impacted by road trauma.
The resources are available to download from the our website, and free hard copies can be ordered at [email protected].
To learn more about the development of these resources, watch our video featuring Aboriginal Engagement Coordinator, Justin Martin, who shares the process, considerations and importance of creating culturally appropriate resources for Aboriginal communities:
Supporting Someone After Road Trauma
People affected by road trauma do not always reach out for support themselves. Family members, friends, colleagues and professionals are often the first to notice when someone may be struggling.
If you are concerned about someone impacted by a road crash, you can make a third-party referral to Road Trauma Support WA on their behalf. With their consent, our team can contact them to discuss the support options available.
A third-party referral can be a simple way to connect someone with help during a difficult time.
Upcoming Travel
The team will be travelling in the next few months:
- Kondinin: 29-30 July
- Kalannie: TBC
- Margaret River: 15-17 September
- Kalgoorlie: 22-24 September
- Northam: 8 October
- Busselton: 20-22 October
If you are curious about opportunities for the Injury Matters Team to visit your region, please contact us directly.