Each Team is led by an experienced Team Leader and has two Counsellors allocated to it from the referring agency. An assistant Team Leader will often accompany the team along with a Peer Group Mentor (PGM).

The Team Leader / Assistant Team Leader

Operation FLinders of Team Leaders and Assistant Team Leaders (ATL) are serving or retired military personnel or police officers. Field staff are carefully selected by Operation Flinders management for their bush craft and navigation skills and for their strength of character and positive approach to people and problem-solving. A growing number of Team Leaders however, are non-service personnel such as, outdoor educators, youth workers or teachers, all with the required bush, navigational and team management skills. Team leaders are paid a small salary by the Foundation.

Want to know more about how you can work on an Operation Flinders exercise? Click here!

The Counsellor

They come from the referring agency. The Counsellors assist in the formation of the Team and may be case managers of the young people nominated. They are responsible for pre-briefing each Participant and their care-givers. This includes ensuring that an Authority to Participate has been obtained from the parent or care-giver, clothing is adequate (particularly footwear), a medical check and the pre-Exercise medical form is completed, and a refundable deposit for issued equipment is forwarded to the Foundation.

The Peer Group Mentor (PGM)

Participants who excel on the program are identified by Team Leaders and nominated for the role of Peer Group Mentor.  Potential PGM’s are advised by letter after the Exercise to register their interest to become a PGM. Upon the completion of the exercise the participants who have been identified as potential PGM's are contacted and invited to attend a training/assessment weekend at a site close to Adelaide. After participating in two training weekends they are assessed as to their suitability by a panel of team leaders, counsellors and senior PGM's. If they are considered suitable, they are invited to attend an exercise and travel with a Team as a PGM. An evaluation of their performance is completed at the end of the Exercise by the Team Leader. A sub-committee of the Field Operations Committee supervise and run the activities for PGM's and make recommendations to the Executive Director. PGM's may remain with the foundation until the age of 19 years. They are then advised to go out and gain some life experience and may then apply at the age of 23 years to come back and apply for a position as an Assistant Team Leader.

Want to know more about PGM's? Click here!


Other Exercise Staff

Exercise Headquarters (Base Camp) is staffed by an Exercise Commander, 2IC, an Operations Officer, medical, communications, logistics and other support staff. Exercise Commanders have previous, considerable experience managing major events, civil or military operations or have graduated through the organisation from Team Leader to Operations Officer. Many of the Headquarters team are volunteers with the exception of the Exercise Commanders who are paid by the Foundation and the professional S.A. Ambulance Service medics, who are provided and paid for by their Service.

(The Executive Director is also located at Headquarters throughout the Exercise and whilst not having an operational role, hosts visitors, VIP’s and sponsors of the Foundation, who are encouraged to visit and see Operation Flinders ‘in action’.)

Further staff are located at three of the overnight campsites or Stands. Two are situated at a cliff abseiling site, two more from the local Adnyamathanha Aboriginal community at the Cultural Stand, and the third with survival experts.