Quest Courses – Conversations that Matter for Wildlife Volunteers

As a dispersed national community of wildlife volunteers, we rarely have time to have conversations that give voice to what we are experiencing and how we are feeling. To explore this in a supportive and caring environment Two Green Threads have partnered up with the Quest for Life Foundation to offer a FREE 1-day course where we can safely explore the conversations that matter for us as volunteers in this sector. The day will be led by Quest For Life’s CEO and Founder Petrea King.

The Quest for Life Foundation is a highly regarded not-for-profit skilled at navigating programs and community-based workshops that encourage, educate and empower people to improve their resilience and peace of mind during difficult times. The Foundation has 32 years of experience assisting people living with trauma to find hope, healing and peace.

Why we are offering this course

Over the last decade, in particular, wildlife have experienced loss and change in their natural environments, and this has directly impacted upon them, and the wildlife volunteers who choose to support and assist.

The reasons we become wildlife volunteers are many and varied, but what holds true is that by undertaking our role we can open ourselves up to emotional, physical and mental vulnerability. The delight and privilege to be able to give wildlife a safe space, help them grow and recover, and then reconnect with nature can be highly challenging and daunting, but at the same time it is very, very special.

One of the ‘why’s’ of Two Green Threads is to create safe spaces to navigate the challenges of our volunteer journey. You won’t be pressured to talk, and sometimes there is a benefit in hearing you are not the only one feeling a similar way. 💚

What this course will cover?

This 1-day course will be led by Quest For Life’s CEO and Founder Petrea King, who has spent decades making a positive difference for individuals and their physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing.

Two Green Threads has had the honour of hosting Petrea King on our Joining The Threads Podcast, for a conversation on understanding trauma and neuroscience, which you can listen to here.

The course day will have a structured agenda and Petrea will take the lead on exploring and navigating the challenges of being wildlife volunteers. This will be a safe space where you may wish to participate in the conversation, however there is no obligation or pressure to talk.

The challenges for wildlife volunteers can include some of the following:

How to handle what I see/hear as a result of my wildlife role (ie traumatic animal situations).
Learning to live with ecological grief – the state of uncertainty and precarious nature of the environmental balance with its resultant impact on wildlife including the scale of loss (wildlife and habitat) from bushfires and floods.
How to balance a role I get meaning from, but which can also sadden and affect me.
How to accept and reconcile that not all people who are seemingly doing this for the same cause (wildlife) will get on.
Grappling with feelings of inadequacy of being able to do the role.
Understanding how to settle and get beyond feelings of overwhelm.
Understanding when and how to say no, or create boundaries, and the resultant feelings of guilt by what it means when I do say no.
Carrying the tension of doing this role when family and other needs may be greater.
How to live with the burden of grief from wildlife losses in my care.

How will the course be facilitated?

Conversations like these can only be undertaken with skilled and empathic facilitators. Quest for Life Foundation is a registered not-for-profit who focuses on a whole-person, using a recovery-orientated approach which provides evidence-based practical strategies and tools to help heal the past, build resilience for the future and live in the present.

Who can attend?

This course is open to Wildlife volunteers and members of your support network. We know that often we undertake our wildlife volunteer roles alongside other critical people in our lives. Two Green Threads is supportive of members of your internal network, be it a family member or a friend, coming along on the day as well. This then offers an outlet for conversations and learnings post the course with your own network.

Wildlife vets and members of vet practices who support wildlife are also welcome.

Numbers for each course will be limited to 35 people.

Is there a cost?

No – this course if free to attend. All you need to do is to make your way to the venue. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

What if I need to bring animals I am caring for?

Yes, there will be quiet rooms avail within the venue for any wildlife babies that need to be bought along.

“What a comforting day. Everything was very professionally prepared and presented. Petrea was very informative about how the brain works and how our past impacts our present and future. We were able to share our stories with each other, and Suzy and Bek [from Two Green Threads]. It was a nice feeling of belonging and being cared for. Thank you…”

– Course Participant

Expression of Interest for future course dates

Course locations and dates, including future online courses, are being planned now.
If you are interested in being part of future course dates then submit your interest here.