About
A community of service personnel, veterans and families
Wagga Wagga and the broader Riverina is home to a significant number of current and former serving Australian Defence Force personnel, many of whom have returned from active service.
The City of Wagga Wagga is also home to two significant Australian Defence Force bases - Army Recruit Training Centre at Kapooka and the Royal Australian Air Force Base Wagga, Forest Hill. These bases are responsible for training over 5000 Army and Air Force trainees per year and employ over 1000 uniformed staff. Not surprisingly, a large proportion of these staff choose to settle in the Riverina with their families at the conclusion of their military service.
Hence, developing and nurturing positive social connections is essential for the Wagga Wagga community that incorporates both current service personnel, veterans and their families.
Supporting Defence families
The Pro Patria Centre (PPC) Board and committee’s involvement and experience in this regional community has identified shortfalls in the social and support services available to this cohort of our community.
It has long been acknowledged that the non-Defence community benefits when current serving personnel, veterans and their families are included, through support, education, sport and social connection, with the broader Riverina community. This inclusion is needed for personal and social wellbeing and to provide a sense of belonging to the area and reduce isolation which often hits this group, particularly when they depart the military.
The Pro Patria Centre believes it can support Defence families to connect with each other and minimise the challenges they face with life in a military family in a way that will be unique, yet complimentary to the other ex-Service Organisations. There are many ways to succeed in life as a Defence family, but it’s very difficult to do it alone. Our program that are being proposed for the centre will ensure we build capacity in the area of veteran and first responder support so the region can thrive no matter the circumstances.
Improving social connections
The PPC is now fortunate to have a range of leaders from across both the military and business sector who are supporting its formation.
Leaders with diverse military backgrounds, and community and industry executives are sharing their excitement on the impact we could have on veterans, first responder’s and their family’s lives. They too recognise how education, compassion love, and support, especially to the family unit, gives people the power to change their lives and find purpose and peace.
PPC has now secured the use of a former monastery in Wagga Wagga. The property is a unique, peaceful, family-friendly location and the newly elected Board of Directors and committee are aiming to develop it into a hub for serving and ex-serving and their families.
PPC has several facets, all aligning on wellbeing services outlined in the Department of Veterans Affairs Veteran Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and National Action Plan 2020- 2023. The PPC mission and vision is to improve social connections along with employment services and veteran business support.
We see the PPC as enabling opportunities to link expert National and State well-being capabilities with the services and programs needed by Defence families in the region, along with providing our own local well-being services and programs within of the Riverina or via FIFO and video conferencing, in a family-friendly environment.