New online community for veterans and veteran families

Open Arms is very proud to partner with SANE Australia to launch a new online community co-designed with veterans and veteran families to support the mental health of their fellow veterans, partners, families and loved ones.

Delivered by SANE Australia, Shoulder to Shoulder offers two separate online forums—one for veterans, and one for families and carers - where they can connect and receive peer-led support whilst remaining anonymous.  

Both forums are moderated by mental health professionals, accessible 24/7 on any smart device (with internet connection). They provide connection, access to resources and peer support from people who understand the military experience.

The service model is military and trauma-informed and developed in partnership with Phoenix Australia [link], strengthening connections and understanding through lived experience.

Anyone from the veteran community is welcome to join the programs, and you don’t need to be a current Open Arms client to participate.

To join the community, head here. If you’ve never accessed a SANE Australia forum before, you can register for an account by creating an anonymous member name. You will also need to provide a valid email address, year of birth, and postcode to create your account.

Shoulder to Shoulder is one of two new online programs that expand Open Arms’ digital mental health capabilities to support veterans, families and carers living throughout Australia.

The other program is Stronger we Stand, which offers free online mental health workshops for veteran families and carers supporting a loved one experiencing suicidal distress or bereaved by suicide. Learn more about our new online programs here.

Anyone who has served at least one day of continuous fulltime service in the ADF and their immediate families can access our free, military-aware and trauma informed mental health support at any time of the day or night.

Call us on 1800 011 046 to find out how we can support you.