VICSES members of the Ready 2 Lead cohort, pictured with Chief Officer, Operations, Tim Wiebusch (Photo: VICSES)
Eighteen members of the Victoria State Emergency Service’s (VICSES) Women in Lifesaving Network’s Ready 2 Lead Program exploring stories about building a resilience to personal setbacks and focusing on finding networks of support.
Conducted by Lifesaving Victoria over two months, the 2023 intake took 47 women into the multi-agency event covering volunteer emergency services such as lifesavers and the aquatic industry.
During the structured sessions, participants heard from senior leaders in the emergency services sector on the skills they found to be essential to successes in their journey.
The final panel discussion included Senior Assistant Chief Officer Regional Operations at VICSES, Sharon Unthank, who shared stories about building a resilience to personal setbacks and focusing on finding networks of support.
As the first female fire management officer in the State and first female Regional Controller at VICSES, Ms Unthank spoke of the benefit of having a mentor, especially early in her career and how she dealt with a loss of self-belief following a challenging period and how responding to adversity can bring about a new kind of confidence.
She said the Ready 2 Lead program worked so well because it taught people to be authentic with who they are leading.
“To do that you have to find out who you are, and get in touch with what’s important to you,” Ms Unthank said.
Deputy Controller of the VICSES Rosedale Unit and one of the 18 participants from VICSES, Samantha Nott was especially moved by the panel’s open and honest discussion of the challenges to good mental health that are presented by managing a large team or organisation.
Ms Nott, who is studying a degree in community and human services as a full-time carer, and who heads up a blended family with her partner that includes six children, says she plays a role as a leader in many parts of her life.
As Deputy Controller at Rosedale, she is responsible for the finance at the unit, along with training and recruitment.
“I think the biggest takeaway I had was about work life balance,” Ms Nott said, “I always thought I was bad at achieving this, but the panel said that – though is no balance – you learn to blend,” she said
“I learned that this was normal, not to set expectations against yourself, but to work with what you could reasonably be expected to achieve she said.
The program attracted women from townships on the Murray to the north throughout the Mallee, over and between the ranges to the east and around the central plains, from the Bellarine to Port Phillip Bay.
Volunteers interested in volunteering with VICSES can find more information at this PS News link.
