Parks Victoria's recent training boosts confidence and safety
Parks Victoria Rangers in Ballarat have boosted their confidence and safety skills with training in Client Interaction and Defensive Tactics. This practical and engaging course equipped them to handle challenging public interactions, ensuring they can protect themselves and serve the community more effectively.
Situation
Parks Victoria Rangers in Ballarat frequently interact with the public, often encountering challenging and potentially dangerous situations. These interactions can be exacerbated by natural disasters, property disputes, and policy enforcement, leading to heightened stress, anger, and even aggression from the public. Recognising the need for their staff to manage such situations professionally and safely, Parks Victoria sought specialised training.
Task
The goal was to equip Rangers with comprehensive skills in Client Interaction and Defensive Tactics (CIDT1) training. The program’s purpose was to develop their ability to handle aggressive behaviour, plan and execute safe approaches, and use self-defence techniques if necessary. The training aimed to address a range of scenarios, from non-cooperative individuals to situations escalating to physical abuse, ensuring Rangers could manage these effectively.
Approach
The course was designed for new staff or those who had not yet undertaken CIDT training, focusing on both theoretical knowledge and practical exercises. The program included:
• principles of mindset
• effective communication strategies and planning for interactions
• techniques for interacting with aggressive people and withdrawing from dangerous situations
• best practices for approaching individuals, vehicles, and site visits
• ensuring safety through proper physical positioning
• legal aspects and appropriate use of force
• recognising signs of potential physical aggression
• simple defensive techniques.
Rangers also engaged in a practical scenario involving responding to an incident in a local park. The scenario required Rangers to undertake comprehensive planning, risk assessment, de-escalation techniques, and self-defence strategies.
Outcome
The training significantly enhanced the skills and confidence of Parks Victoria Rangers in handling aggressive and stressful public interactions. Rangers reported feeling more prepared and confident in managing aggressive situations, and became adept at reading body language and understanding effective self-defence techniques.
Feedback from the participants was overwhelmingly positive. They appreciated the relevance and practicality of the course, highlighting the mix of indoor and outdoor components as particularly engaging and useful. The training empowered Rangers with the tools and confidence needed to approach their roles more safely and effectively.
"Extremely useful and relevant."
"Great course, giving Rangers some excellent tools to use while on the job."
" We have been taught extremely helpful tools to keep us safe and approach situations safely and with more awareness."
"Had a great delivery style and made us all feel empowered, informed, and confident before approaching the final day of assessment. The mixed style of delivery (practical and theory) kept all members of the team engaged."