Taking place on Wednesday 21 June between 5:30pm – 6:30pm, the online lecture will discuss Dr Jamie Barker and Dr Craig White’s academic research within the fields of the military and sport, using interventions to enhance leadership, resilience, and performance.

The lecture will touch upon the concepts of resilience and social identity leadership and how interventions based around these themes have been utilised to promote a sense of togetherness within military and sporting teams and to enhance the mental wellbeing of veterans.

Dr White will discuss his experiences of serving in Afghanistan and leading a multinational team working with the Afghan National Police. Dr Barker and Dr White will also discuss a resilience intervention, based around social identity theorising, that they undertook with several RAF teams, including a combat air squadron, which increased the sense of connectedness within the team.

Dr Barker will also present the outcomes of similar interventions in elite and professional sport. In addition, the researchers have designed and delivered a Veterans’ Resilience Programme intended to enhance the resilience and mental well-being of military veterans suffering from mental well-being issues.

The course includes adaptive physical activities (i.e., wheelchair basketball) and workshops on social and psychological resilience, sleep, and healthy eating.

The impact of the course has been significant in improving mental well-being over time, with some of the veterans judging it to be either “life-saving” or “life-changing”. The lecture will conclude with Dr Barker and Dr White’s reflections on how to enhance leadership and resilience in the military and sporting contexts.

Those wishing to attend this public lecture can book their place by visiting: https://www.ncsem-em.org.uk/events/public-lecture-creating-a-sense-of-togetherness-reflections-on-enhancing-resilience-and-leadership-within-the-military-and-sport/

The session will also be recorded and available to view post-event.