From tokenism to trust: Meaningful consultation in the Veteran community

“If I'm forming a consultation group, I'm not going to bring someone there that I know whose role in life is to flip the applecart over. There's no value there. But if I look around the room at a grouping of people I've gathered and there's no one there that's ever showed me dissent to an idea before, I have not formed a consultation group. I have formed an applause choir that's going to tell me I have a great idea.”

In this episode of Mind Beyond the Mission, hosts Brian McKenna and Laryssa Lamrock unpack the idea of authentic consultation within the Veteran and Family community and what it can practically look like. They discuss the pitfalls of superficial engagement and the need for genuine, meaningful communication. They highlight the importance of trust-building, honest dialogue, and the distinction between dissent and disruptive behaviour in consultations. Through personal anecdotes and professional insights, they emphasize the need for truly listening and validating the experiences of Veterans and their Families.

Key topics

• Importance of authentic consultation versus briefing after a decision has been made
• Avoiding using patronizing or tokenistic language when engaging with the Veteran community
• Building trust throughout consultation processes
• The value of humility in interactions with Veterans
• Distinguishing between necessary dissent and disruptive behaviour
• The importance of follow-ups in consultations

Resources

• Watch a video sharing considerations and tangible strategies for engaging with Veterans and Families
• Learn about the Atlas Institute’s Veteran and Family engagement framework, Engaging with Veterans and Families: Creating a new approach to collaboration
• Learn about the Atlas Institute’s work engaging the Veteran and Family community, including our Network of Networks approach
• Apply to be a member of the Veteran and Family Cadre at the Atlas Institute
• Learn about the National Collaborative on PTSD and Related Mental Health Conditions
• Why is communication so hard? – Mind Beyond the Mission episode 4
• Get involved with the Atlas Institute

Dans cet épisode, Brian et Laryssa analysent l'idée d'une consultation authentique au sein de la communauté des vétérans et de leurs familles et ce à quoi elle peut ressembler concrètement. Ils discutent des pièges de l'engagement superficiel et de la nécessité d'une communication authentique et significative. Ils soulignent l'importance de l'instauration de la confiance, d'un dialogue honnête et de la distinction entre dissidence et comportement perturbateur dans les consultations. Au travers d'anecdotes personnelles et de points de vue professionnels, ils soulignent la nécessité d'écouter véritablement et de valider les expériences des vétérans et de leurs familles. 

 Thèmes clés

• L’importance d'une consultation authentique par rapport à un breffage après une prise de décision
• Éviter d'utiliser un langage condescendant ou symbolique lorsque l'on s'engage avec la communauté des vétérans
• Instaurer la confiance tout au long des processus de consultation