IPAAC 2024 Workshops
These workshops will follow the successful format last year. There will be three workshops running at the same time in the morning, and three in the afternoon. Three different rooms. You have to choose one per session. Though theoretically you can switch during the break! These are fully interactive workshops, which should allow for very healthy debate on these really critical areas.
Morning Session
Workshop #1
PSP Promotion, Marketing and Education
(Mod: Chris Arnold, ALPA-I)
Join us for "Making the Connection: Raising Awareness & Promoting Peer Programs," an engaging workshop focused on the vital role of awareness and communication in peer support initiatives for aviation professionals. For these programs to be effective, it’s essential that aviation personnel not only know about the resources available to them but also feel comfortable reaching out for support. This session will empower participants to create a supportive environment where individuals feel encouraged to utilize peer resources, fostering a culture of well-being within their organizations.
Throughout the workshop, we will explore key elements essential for developing impactful campaigns. Participants will learn how to define clear objectives, identify and overcome barriers, select appropriate communication channels, and engage additional shareholders. We’ll also highlight ALPA’s successful “Are You in the Green” campaign as a case study, discussing its achievements and lessons learned. Whether you're launching a new program or seeking to enhance existing ones, this workshop will equip you with practical tools and strategies to advocate for peer support and educate your colleagues on the importance of mental wellness in the workplace.
Workshop #2
Diversity within Peer Support
(Mod: Rob Bor, CAP)
Delivering effective peer support to safety-critical personnel in aviation is challenging. Every culture and group of people will have their particular characteristics, and what works in terms of peer support in one culture may not necessarily work in another. How do we adapt the key components of peer support to best suit the populations we are trying to serve? And how to cope when there are multiple cultures represented within one airline? And do PSPs have to do anything different to deliver top quality support to traditionally under-represented groups in aviation such as females, ethnic minorities or LGBTQ+? These are difficult issues but ones we have to address. No-one should feel excluded from peer support.
This workshop could go in a number of different directions, but it will start by giving some real world examples of how existing PSPs serve different cultures, such as those in trans-national airlines in Europe. Where it goes from there will depend on the input from the floor, all under the highly experienced facilitation of Prof Rob Bor. To our knowledge, this subject has never been tackled before at a peer support conference. We await the outcome with great interest!
Workshop #3
Peer Selection and Training
Mod: Rodney Hall, NZ PAN)
This workshop is designed specifically for Peers and will focus on the essential elements that keep us effective in our roles. It's an opportunity to strengthen our shared understanding, enhance our processes, and foster a sense of community through dynamic interaction.
We will explore key topics, including:
1. What is a Peer?
2. Recruitment: Selecting the right individuals
3. Initial Training: Equipping peers with the necessary skills
4. Recurrent Training: Ensuring continued competency
5. Care and Maintenance: Supporting the well-being of Peers themselves
This will be an interactive session where sharing experiences and practices will be encouraged, aiming to strengthen our collective knowledge and skills. Join us as we dive deeper into what it means to be a Peer, and how we can better support one another. The intended outcome is to introduce the idea of benchmarking best practices globally, inviting participants to contribute insights from their own programs.
Afternoon Session
Workshop #4
Regulators’ Workshop
Mod: Dr Janis Vegers, EASA and Dr Brett Wyrick, FAA)
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In a similar format to last year, this workshop will have as many Regulators as we can persuade to be in the room for an open discussion. Regulatory barriers to self-disclosure of mental health issues is one of the most important issues in our field, and the Regulators attending IPAAC are the ones making the rules that affect what we do in PSPs.
A key topic for this workshop is “Building a Bridge of Trust Between Pilots, AMEs, and Regulators.” Establishing and strengthening this trust is essential for advancing safety, well-being, and effective collaboration in aviation. Participants are invited to share their insights and ideas on ways to create stronger connections and open channels of communication among these groups.
The aim of this workshop is to discuss practical ways to build these “bridges” and explore how peer support programs can foster mutual understanding and collaboration.
Workshop #5
Resilience Back Into the Workplace
(Mod: Laurie Shaw, Fiji Airways)
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What is the relationship between peer support and resilience?
The workshop will delve into how PSPs need to incorporate and understand the importance of resilience in the workplace. Better resilience amongst safety-critical personnel in aviation means many things, including a greater ability to withstand the buffeting of normal life (and the consequent need for peer support in the first place) and also better protection once the client has exited from the PSP back into the workplace. Appropriate armour is needed to prevent that person falling back and needing support again. There is also increasing evidence that resilient pilots (to use the example) have better performance at work.
This workshop will be run as a panel consisting of experts in the field, facilitated by Laurie Shaw who has introduced more PSPs into aviation than anyone else. It will examine the concept of wellbeing = performance, giving some background theory and then examining case studies to see how everything overlaps. The end result is to demonstrate how a resilient pilot/ATC can be supported back into the workplace.
Workshop #6
How to set up a Peer Support Program from Ground Zero
(Mod: Quay Snyder and Keith Frank)
There is no “single right answer or plan” to building a PSP. This workshop will host an eclectic group of participants from diverse backgrounds, cultures, aviation professions, and viewpoints. Participants will explore options for PSP structure, access, data collection, marketing, peer selection and training, confidentiality, company interface, medical professional interface, and a multitude of other topics. Bring your experience in setting up PSPs and your questions, to create a robust conversation of best practices. The workshop will be interactive and collaborative to meet the individual needs of each participant.