Events

How Indigenous people and knowledge can save Australia’s environmental and social unravelling.

Australia is in the midst of both environmental and social crises. With the highest rate of biodiversity loss on earth, the country is facing an ever-increasing barrage of massive catastrophic wildfires that wreak untold environmental damage and its First Peoples are among the most disadvantaged and disaffected demographic. In the 2020 Narrm Oration, Associate Professor Fletcher will argue that many of Australia’s current environmental problems can be traced to the impact of British invasion and the violent and devastating effects this has had on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Embedding the Aboriginal world view and notion of Country into mainstream Australia has the potential to benefit the lives and livelihoods of all Australians and our Country.

This year has been vastly different than originally anticipated, yet rich learnings can emerge from such challenging circumstances. Within the veterinary profession, how can we support veterinarians to look after their clients and animals whilst generating revenue sustainably for the practice? How can we support businesses to support veterinary professionals? And what are some tools for veterinarians to assist with their own self-care?

Join the Melbourne Veterinary School for this important panel discussion. The panel will discuss the ‘square of stakeholders’ as it relates to veterinary wellbeing; comprising the client, animal, business and veterinary professional, and some support strategies for each stakeholder group. This will lead to an overview of the benefits of mindfulness and a guided mindfulness meditation. The opportunity will be available to ask questions.

Practising veterinarians will earn one structured Continuing Professional Development (CPD) point by attending this session. A confirmation email of attendance will be provided after the session for use as evidence in reporting CPD.

The panel discussion will be led by Dr Cathy Warburton, University of Melbourne veterinary alum (MVS 1997) and Veterinary Well-Being Consultant and Coach at Make Headway, an organisation she founded to advance veterinary mental health within the veterinary profession.

Dr Warburton will be joined by two accomplished University of Melbourne veterinary alumni Drs Rebecca Faris and Cam Raw, and Clinical Psychologist Vicky Babas.