Wellbeing Officers

Our Wellbeing Officers are the first point of contact for any member or volunteer who would like support with an issue, concern or grievance.

Wellbeing Officers are available to any member of the ACT Greens to discuss any personal difficulty concerning the Party or any of its members. The Wellbeing Officers are effectively trained, authentically assessed, and in receipt of ongoing support in their roles.

Our Wellbeing Officers aim to be a sounding board for your concerns, help you to cope with your feelings, and help you to clarify your issues and decide what you want to do next.

If you are a member of the ACT Greens and you feel you have been treated unfairly, or you are considering making a complaint about behaviour of a harassing, bullying or discriminatory nature, then the first option for you may be to talk, in complete confidence, to a Wellbeing Officer. You can choose whichever Wellbeing Officer you would prefer to approach.

Our Wellbeing Officers are Party members who are trained to assist you by...

  • providing an effective listening environment for you to talk about a matter which has affected your wellbeing

  • listening, reflecting and summarising your issues to help you make decisions about what to do next

  • providing you with a coherent explanation of ACT Greens grievance resolution policies and procedures

  • undertaking to handle your approach as promptly, seriously, sensitively and confidentially as possible

  • providing ongoing support as required

The guiding principle for grievance resolution in the ACT Greens is that you are in control of the process. The Wellbeing Officers are trained to listen and help you to clarify the issues and to provide options.

All Wellbeing Officers have current ACT Government Working With Vulnerable People General Registration.

Image - Marie Ryan

Chris Dyer - Wellbeing Officer

Chris joined the Greens because he wants politics to be better, in terms of how the system operates and making changes that matter. He's volunteering regularly with 2020 Campaign and wants to help turn Canberra Green. 
 
Chris became a Wellbeing Officer because he knows how much it matters to have someone to talk to if things don't feel right. He is often approached by workmates who need support, want a sounding board or want to know more about their options when something happens in the workplace. He's proud to be a member of a party whose commitment to being a safe party for everyone is more than just words.
 
Chris has worked in the government and not-for-profit sector. He lives in the electorate of Canberra with his partner and their young daughter. 
 

Contact Chris: chris.dyer@act.greens.org.au

Alan Hough

Alan Hough - Mediator

Alan has been a member of the Greens for just on 10 years, first in NSW and now the ACT. He has been active in community groups for more than 30 years. Alan is a trained mediator and conflict coach. He has mediated in a variety of disputes, including workplace, neighbourhood, family, inter-organisational and victim of crime/offender matters.

As a mediator, he is clear that the parties are in control of the resolution of the conflict. He helps parties to work towards principled agreement or principled disagreement. Alan also provided training to organisations in anti-discrimination and equal opportunity principles.

If you decide to approach a Wellbeing Officer, you can...

  •  choose which Wellbeing Officer you wish to approach;
  •  talk about any interpersonal situation pertaining to the Greens which is causing you personal concern;
  •  be heard in absolute confidence;
  •  be treated with complete respect;
  •  decide for yourself if you want to take the matter further;
  •  ask your Wellbeing Officer to help you think through how you might take the matter further, including the option of resolving it to your satisfaction privately;
  •  ask your Wellbeing Officer to support you in one or more steps that you might choose to take to move the matter forward;
  •  expect your Wellbeing Officer to clarify what ‘support’ you want and reach an agreement with you about what they can offer; and
  •  speak with your Wellbeing Officer as many times as necessary.

Our Wellbeing Officers adhere to the principle that all complaints, whether formal or informal, are best handled promptly, seriously, sensitively and confidentially.

Would you like to become a Wellbeing Officer?

The ACT Greens is looking for more members to volunteer as Wellbeing Officers. We would like our Wellbeing Officers to be as diverse as possible in terms of gender, religion, ethnic background and sexual orientation.

If you feel that you’d like to contribute to building and maintaining a wellbeing culture within the ACT Greens, please contact the Party Director via partydirector@act.greens.org.au

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Arbitration & Conciliation Committee (ACC)