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Thursday 14th - Saturday 16th August 2025

Here to Help is St John WA’s new brand position, but it’s more than that. It’s a promise to support and champion the people who make St John what it is.

Over three amazing days we’ll explore all the ways in which we can help each other. We’ll connect with team members from across the state, hear from guest speakers, and learn new skills.

So, this one’s for you – the helpers. Because we’re not just celebrating what we do. We’re celebrating who we are.

See you at The Experience.

Countdown to the 2025 Experience

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Event Information

  • State Conference
  • Pre-Conference Sessions
  • St John Ball
  • St John WA Awards
  • Explore Coolamon Centre
  • PaCTS in Motion
  • How to get to the Experience
  • Why attend the Experience

State Conference

15 August 2025

  • Event Summary
  • Conference Speakers
  • Conference Program

The State Conference is back in 2025, with four incredible guest speakers from across Australia and overseas, covering topics from trauma and resilience to mental health and the future of technology.

A series of Inside Chats from teams across the organisation will be an opportunity to learn more about new developments within St John WA, while the popular Chiefs panel will be an opportunity to hear from and ask questions of our executive team.

Following on directly from the State Conference will be the St John WA Awards and Celebration for all. Please make sure you register to attend this afternoon session for catering purposes.

Date:

Friday 15th August

Time:

7.30 am - 6.00 pm

Venue:

Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre
Bellevue Ballroom
21 Mounts Bay Road, Perth

State Conference

Live: Registration opens 7.30am for 8.30am start

Virtual Broadcast via Yammer: 8.30am

When

Friday 15 August, 8.30am

Location

Perth Convention Exhibition Centre

For more information on the Experience, please get in touch with the Events team.

This year four incredible guest speakers will be joining the conference along with inside chats, trivia and incredible stories about our people.

For more information on the Experience, please get in touch with the Events team.

STATE Conference Schedule

7.30 - 8.30AM Registration
8.30 - 10.30AM Morning Session One

Welcome To Country: Bindjareb Middars
Health Minister Address: Hon Meredith Hammat
SJWA Chair Address: Ms Sally Carbon

Q&A Session:

SJWA Executive Team

Inside Chat: Volunteering

10.30 - 11.00AM Morning Break
11.00 - 1.00PM Morning Session Two

Keynote Speaker:

Dr Bill Griggs - Coping in Chaos

Inside Chat: St John Health

Keynote Speaker:

Dr Jenny Brockis - Love your Work! Unleashing the Power of Workplace Well-being
1.00 - 2.00PM Lunch Break
2.00 - 4.10PM Afternoon Session

Keynote Speaker:

Dr Dan Pronk - Building your Resilience Shield

Inside Chat: St John Academy

Keynote Speaker:

Scott Bales - Life in The Era of AI
4.10 - 4.40PM Afternoon Break
4.40 - 6.00PM
SJWA Awards
Values Awards
Volunteer Story
Service Medals & Bars
Of The Year Awards
6.00 - 8.00PM Celebration

Keynote Speeches

LOVE YOUR WORK! UNLEASHING THE POWER OF WORKPLACE WELL-BEING

Presenter: Dr Jenny Brockis

Topic: Making every day a great day at work doesn’t have to be wishful thinking. What matters is having the right tools and strategies to look after your health and well-being, so you can bring the best version of you, to everything you do. Self-care is never selfish, it’s about recognising what you need to stay energised, healthy and to retain the love for what you do. Because you cannot serve from an empty cup. It’s time to bust some myths, recognise where to start with your own well-being and put in place what you know will make work, work better.

COPING IN CHAOS 

Presenter: Dr Bill Griggs 

Topic: Making decisions can be challenging at the best of times. In periods of chaos, incomplete information and a rapidly changing situation can make this much harder. Whether it is as a first responder to a multi victim car crash or as a team leader during a developing crisis, getting things right is important. 

This presentation provides practical examples of critical decision making during the extreme chaos found by the first international responders to Banda Aceh after the 2004 Boxing Day Earthquake/Tsunami. And it highlights some guidelines and lessons which may be helpful in other challenging situations.

LIFE IN THE ERA OF AI 

Presenter: Scott Bales 

Topic: Life in the Era of AI is a powerful keynote that explores how artificial intelligence is transforming not just technology, but humanity itself. Blending personal stories, global insight, and real-world case studies, Scott Bales will challenge us to rethink how we live, lead, and innovate. This keynote inspires action through a deeply human lens, focusing on empathy, purpose, and responsible progress. You will walk away with a renewed sense of urgency and a practical toolkit to navigate the AI era with clarity and courage. It’s not about the future of machines; it’s about the future of us.

BUILDING YOUR RESILIENCE SHIELD

Presenter: Dr Dan Pronk

Topic: Resilience is a word that is often used but often poorly defined. Harder still is knowing exactly what we can all be doing, day-in, day-out, to build and maintain resilience. This presentation draws on Dan's personal experiences operating in high-stress, high-consequence environments as a doctor with Army Special Operations, as well as the scientific evidence base, to break down resilience into its constituent components and provide simple tools that can be used by all of us to build and maintain it. With the ever-increasing rates of mental health injuries in first responders, we all need to get active in our own rescue and build our Resilience Shields.

For more information on the Experience, please get in touch with the Events team.

Pre-Conference Sessions

14 August 2025

  • Overview
  • Sessions Program

Date:

14 August 2025

Time:

7:30am - 6:00pm

Venue:

Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre
Level 2 – Meeting rooms
21 Mounts Bay Road, Perth

For more information on the Experience, please get in touch with the Events team.

Pre-Conference Sessions Program

8.00 - 8.30AM - Welcome to Country

Family and Domestic Violence (FDV) Education – Unit 2

  • Stopping family violence Inc.

Airways and Cardiac Arrest Bonus Megaclass

  • Ben Gilbert, Matt Didcoe & Jason Belcher

Walking Together

  • Jeremy Maitland Smith & Jordan Mogridge

Calm Behind the Crowd

  • Lilly Sharp & Phil Townsend

Special Guest

  • Dr Sheryl Jonescu

More than Words: Leading with heart, living with purpose

  • Stacey Croot & Leah Rose
10.45 - 11.00AM - Morning Break

Airway Management for Volunteers

  • Ben Gilbert

Managing Cardiac Arrest:

  • Jason Belcher

From Idea to Action: A hands-on introduction to design thinking & project management

  • Chantelle Dryden, Caleb Gomez & Alysha Hooper

STORC’s Journey

  • Melissa Gardiner & STORC Midwives
12.45 - 1.15PM - Lunch

Mastering your Corpuls 3 Cardiac Monitor

  • Matt Didcoe

From Pilot to Practice: The Evolution of Mental Health Co Response

  • Anna Kirk, Jason Davis & Jordan Turner

Clinical Quality Improvement

  • Damien Jolly & Ciaran Voyce

Igniting Futures The St John Academy in your Community

  • Patrick Harman & Lyndell Savage

Beyond Fundraising

  • Angel Robins, Michelle Grant & Stephen Smyth

AI at St John WA

  • Jenna Daley
3.00 - 3.15PM - Afternoon Break

Trauma Skills

  • Clinical Lead Group

My Choice, My Voice: Advanced care planning in action

  • Leisa Prangnell

Here to Help: How to use our new brand guidelines

  • Brand Team

Understanding Moral Injury: A peer-led workshop

  • Tina Klare

E2theC: Environment initiatives in the country

  • Stephen Cummins, Tammee Keast & Michael Doyle

Lets Talk: Behind the numbers and navigating growth and change

  • Martyn Jenkins

Special Guest

  • Derek Parks
6.30PM - End of Sessions
8.00 - 8.30AM
Welcome to Country

Fit Testing

  • Respiratory Protection

WISM World Tour

  • Stamp Your Way to Wellbeing
6.30PM
End of session

Sessions Summary

Session Name Summary
Special Guest

  • Dr Sheryl Jonescu
Sheryl is a dedicated nurse with more than 20 years of experience in surgical nursing. She has worked as Trauma Case Manager at Royal Perth Hospital for over 16 years which, is the second busiest Trauma department in Australia.

Sheryl is dedicated to providing expert timely clinical care with clear and concise plans for patients, coordinating complex cases including international repatriations.

Family and Domestic Violence (FDV) Education – Unit 2

  • Stopping family violence Inc
This session is designed for volunteers to deepen participants understanding of Family Domestic Violence (FDV) dynamics and building confidence in providing informed, compassionate care.

Through pre-learning and an interactive in-person session, participants will explore perpetrator patterns, the role of intersectionality, and reasons behind the mistrust of services.

The workshop emphasises the use of FDV informed language, how to engage with victim-survivors respectfully, and the practical application of tools like the ePCR tick box. Volunteers will leave better equipped to recognise, respond to, and support those experiencing FDV in their care.

Walking Together

  • Jeremy Maitland Smith & Jordan Mogridge
An immersive and thought provoking workshop designed to deepen participants’ understanding of Aboriginal health through cultural knowledge, lived experience, and data-informed insight.

Grounded in respect and connection to Country. The session will include interactive polls, hands-on cultural activities, and a heartfelt yarning session with First Nations voices. Participants will explore key concepts such as intergenerational trauma, epigenetics, and systemic health disparities.

Practical insights into St John WA’s initiatives will underscore the real-world impact of culturally informed care. Participants will leave with greater empathy, actionable knowledge, and a renewed commitment to walking alongside Aboriginal communities toward health equity.

Calm Behind the Crowd

  • Lilly Sharp & Phil Townsend
Practical insights into delivering effective medical support at large-scale events. An interactive desktop exercise will simulate a mass casualty scenario, in turn highlighting the principles of Preparation, Planning, Response, and Recovery.

Participants will experience, through collaborative strategies and lessons from real-world deployments, how to enhance preparedness, manage major incidents, and support continuous improvement through post-event recovery.

More than Words: Leading with heart, living with purpose

  • Stacey Croot & Leah Rose
An interactive session taking the St John Values from words to simple actions that can be embedded in our everyday work lives.
Airway Management for Volunteers

  • Ben Gilbert
This airway workshop is an opportunity for participants to drill into the finer techniques of airway management, and explore precisely when and how to implement different equipment and skills in order to maximise patient outcomes.
Igniting Futures: The St John Academy in your Community

  • Patrick Harman & Lyndell Savage
Discover how you can help shape the next generation of lifesavers and leaders through the St John Academy.

This interactive workshop is designed for prospective Division Leaders who are passionate about youth engagement and community service. You'll get a behind-the-scenes look at the Academy's weekly programs, experience a hands-on mini lesson, and learn the practical steps to start a new Division in your region. This session is designed to equip and inspire you to bring the Academy to life in your community.

From Idea to Action: A hands-on introduction to design thinking & project management

  • Chantelle Dryden, Caleb Gomez & Alysha Hooper
Got a great idea but not sure how to bring it to life? Join us for a fast-paced, interactive session where creativity meets structure.

In two hours, you’ll explore the power of design thinking to problem solve and learn project management tools to turn ideas into action.

STORC’s Journey

  • Melissa Gardiner
Back by popular demand - Meet your STORC midwives, hear their stories, and learn how they can help all on-road crews across WA.
Mastering your Corpuls 3 Cardiac Monitor

  • Matt Didcoe
Ever wondered what the State Control Centre sees when your Corpuls monitor connects?

We’ll pull back the curtain on Corpuls Live, showing you how your data helps guide clinical support decision making when it matters most and get hands on with how to get the most from your Corpuls 3 monitor!

Managing Cardiac Arrest

  • Jason Belcher
Resuscitation masterclass – designed for volunteers to strengthen their foundational knowledge of high performance CPR to better care for cardiac arrest patients.
From Pilot to Practice: The Evolution of Mental Health Co Response

  • Anna Kirk, Jason Davis & Jordan Turner
Learn about starting up a bespoke Pilot Program; and how St John are working towards delivering care for our low acuity Mental Health consumers.

Presentation will include lessons learnt – how we went from a frontline emergency clinician-led approach to a holistic patient centered approach, and a look at future state. Why treating Mental Health patients appropriately matters.

Beyond Fundraising

  • Angel Robins, Michelle Grant & Stephen Smyth
This session will unpack how St John WA’s Social Sustainability division is shifting from a traditional fundraising approach to one centred on long-term, measurable impact.
Clinical Quality Improvement

  • Damien Jolly & Ciaran Voyce
The Clinical Quality Improvement workshop covers the current St John WA Quality Improvement Program, utilising the Plan, Do, Study, Act methodology and driving change within the clinical space.

This is a great opportunity to get involved if you have ideas around clinical improvement or want to learn more around how this is currently managed.

AI at St John WA

  • Jenna Daley
AI is rapidly changing how we think about life and work — but how do we make space for it, safely and meaningfully?

This session explores how St John WA and relevant digital strategies are designed to enable AI. The session will reflect on what’s possible now and what’s on the horizon.

WSIM World Tour: Stamp Your Way to Wellbeing Ready for take-off? Grab your wellbeing passport and join the World Tour — a fun, fast-paced adventure with stops focused on mental health, safety, injury prevention, and injury management.

First stop: Speed Therapy! Take a quick DASS-10 questionnaire check and get instant tips to support your mental wellbeing. Then head over to Safety Scenarios, where you'll play detective—can you tell a clinical incident from a safety one?

Next, move your body in the Injury Prevention Zone, where sensors will show how small posture tweaks during CPR and patient transfers can make a big difference. Finally, land at the Injury Management Quiz—learn how Early Intervention Physio Program (EIPP) can support you, answer a few questions, and grab your last stamp. Collect all your stamps and you’ll go into the draw to win —because looking after yourself could literally take you places! Fun, practical, and full of surprises—your wellbeing journey starts here!

Trauma Skills

  • Clinical Lead Group
Looking to challenge yourself and refresh your trauma skills? Join St John WA’s Clinical Leads, for a hands-on immersive workshop in trauma skills with an opportunity to trial what you learn in various scenarios.

This session will cover: High Fidelity Traumatic Cardiac Arrest Scenarios , Slishman traction splints, Combat Application Torniquets.

My Choice, My Voice: Advanced care planning in action

  • Leisa Prangnell
Having the confidence to understand and support Advance Care Planning (ACP) ensures that peoples wishes are respected — even when they can’t speak for themselves.
Here to Help: How to use our new brand guidelines

  • Brand Team
St John WA’s creative capability has evolved. Discover how the brand team can help you and your part of the organisation as we move forward into an exciting new chapter.
Understanding Moral Injury: A peer-led workshop

  • Tina Klare
Join Tina Klare from the Community Transport Department for an interactive session on Moral Injury. With personal experience in navigating the challenges of moral injury and recovery,

Tina offers a unique perspective on its impact. This workshop will explore how moral injury can affect anyone in a care or frontline role.

E2theC: Environment initiatives in the country

  • Stephen Cummins & Tammee Keast
Team members with an interest in Environmental issues and making real / impactful improvements in their areas – emphasis on rural and remote colleagues.
Lets talk: Behind the numbers and navigating growth and change

  • Martyn Jenkins
Join Chief Finance Officer Martyn Jenkins in a discussion about the organisation's financial direction.
Special Guest

  • Derek Parks
Leading change and training.

Hear unique stories from Derek Parks varied years in the Australian Defence Force and managing the RAC rescue helicopter service.

For more information on the Experience, please get in touch with the Events team.

St John Ball

16 August 2025

  • Event Summary
  • How to buy
  • Ball FAQ

The St John WA Black Tie Ball is back for 2025!

Theme:  Roaring Twenties  

While the theme is being announced this year, please note that this is still a formal black-tie event, so dress in formal attire. 

St John WA has done our best to accommodate as many team members as possible, both volunteer and paid, however over 8,000 team members are eligible to purchase tickets and only 1,200 seats are available. Please consider the need to bring a guest.  

There will be some changes to the ticketing process this year to ensure fairness of access to tickets. See How to Buy tab for more details.  

Table bookings will not be available due to the logistics of splitting ticket purchases into allocations for specific groups. A maximum of two tickets can be purchased per transaction and per AP number.  

Date:

16 August 2025

Time:

7.00pm – Midnight

Venue:

Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre
Bellevue Ballroom
21 Mounts Bay Road, Perth

Dress:

Formal Black Tie 

Tickets:

$75 team member (AP number must be provided), $120 guest 

*Please note that you will be subject to booking fees with Eventbrite when booking your tickets.

Who can attend:

St John WA & guests

For more information on the Experience, please get in touch with the Events team.

HOW TO BUY

St John Ball tickets now have allocated numbers for specific cohorts and will be released in stages to ensure fairness across the organisation.  

Once each allocation is exhausted, a waitlist will be available exclusively to that cohort, ensuring attendance at the ball is in line with allocated numbers.  

This process will be monitored by AP numbers.   Ticket purchases will be limited to two per transaction, however you will still be able to request to sit on a table with your teammates.  

 

Release 1: Mon 5 May – Friday 9 May  

Regional Volunteers  

During this period, ticket purchases can be made by regional volunteers only.  

Once the allocation is exhausted, a wait list for regional volunteers will be available and any refunded tickets from this allocation will be assigned within this cohort only.  

 

Release 2: Mon 12 May – Friday 16 May 

Metro Volunteers  

During this period, ticket purchases can be made by metro volunteers only.  

Once the allocation is exhausted, a wait list for metro volunteers will be available and any refunded tickets from this allocation will be assigned within this cohort only.  

 

Release 3: Mon 19 May – Friday 23 May  

Paid Metro & Regional Team Members  

During this period, ticket purchases can be made by paid metro & regional team members only.  

Once the allocation is exhausted, a wait list for paid team members will be available and any refunded tickets from this allocation will be assigned within this cohort only.  

Dietary Requirements:

Please specify your meal at time of purchasing your ticket. We will not be taking dietary requirements or amendments via email prior to or on the night of the event.

The venue takes care in preparing all meals, though they cannot 100% guarantee that trace elements will not remain as ingredients containing other allergens, are used in the kitchens. PCEC operate with a defined food safety and allergen management plan at all times.

For more information on the Experience, please get in touch with the Events team.

Frequently asked questions

For more information on the Experience, please get in touch with the Events team.

St John WA Awards

15 August 2025

AwardsCeremony1

Date:

15 August 2025

Time:

4:40pm - 6:00pm

Venue:

Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre
Bellevue Ballroom
21 Mounts Bay Road, Perth

For more information on the Experience, please get in touch with the Events team.

Explore Coolamon Centre

16 August 2025

  • Event Summary
  • SCC Tours
  • Kepi Nara Gardens
  • Museum Exhibition Space and Cafe
explore-coolamon-centre

Date:

16 August 2025

Time:

9:00am - 2:00pm

Venue:

209 Great Eastern Highway, Belmont

For more information on the Experience, please get in touch with the Events team.

Date:

16 August 2025

Time:

9:00am - 2:00pm

Venue:

Level 2, 209 Great Eastern Highway, Belmont
*Wait at the entrance to reception.

For more information on the Experience, please get in touch with the Events team.

Date:

16 August 2025

Time:

9:00am - 2:00pm

Venue:

Coolamon Centre - 209 Great Eastern Highway, Belmont

For more information on the Experience, please get in touch with the Events team.

Date:

16 August 2025

Time:

9:00am - 2:00pm

Venue:

Coolamon Centre - 209 Great Eastern Highway, Belmont

For more information on the Experience, please get in touch with the Events team.

PaCTS in Motion

16 August 2025

Date:

16 August 2025

Time:

9:00am – 2:00pm

Venue:

Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre
Level 2 – Meeting rooms
21 Mounts Bay Road, Perth

For more information on the Experience, please get in touch with the Events team.

How to get to the Experience

  • Venue
  • Getting to PCEC
  • Travel & Accommodation

Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre (PCEC)

For more information on the Experience, please get in touch with the Events team.

Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre is easily accessible no matter which option you choose to get there

Parking

There are approximately 5,000 car parking bays within a 10-minute walk of PCEC.
The City of Perth Convention Centre Car Park is located directly underneath.

Open:

24 hours, 7 days a week

Access:

via Mill St, Mounts Bay Rd, or Riverside Dr off-ramp from Mitchell Freeway

Payment:

Cash, Credit Card, or City of Perth Parking Card

Centre Access:

Direct access to PCEC during opening hours via central foyer lift and staircases

Train

Elizabeth Quay Train Station is located at the doorstep of PCEC and services the Mandurah and Joondalup railway lines. Other train stations within close proximity of PCEC include:

  • Perth Underground Station (Mandurah and Joondalup railway line) located on the corner of William Street and Murray Street Mall.
  • Perth Central Station (Armadale / Thornlie, Fremantle, and Midland railway lines) located along Wellington Street (across from Forrest Place).
  • An underground walkway connects the Perth Central Station to the Perth Underground Station.
Bus 

Elizabeth Quay Bus Station is located adjacent to PCEC. Many bus services depart and arrive at the Elizabeth Quay Bus Station including the free CBD ‘Blue and Green CAT’ service. Perth’s other major bus station is the Wellington Street Bus Station, located along Wellington Street next to the Perth Central Train Station. 

Ferry 

A ferry service operates across the Swan River between Elizabeth Quay Jetty (Perth) and Mends Street Jetty (South Perth). Elizabeth Quay Jetty is only a short walk to PCEC. Services operate daily from 7.45am to 8.00pm (extended times operate on weekdays and during the Summer months). 

Taxi 

For more information on the Experience, please get in touch with the Events team.

Welcome to Perth

Airport Transport

Accommodation

There are several hotels within walking distance of the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre (PCEC). Please see the PCEC accommodation options flyer for nearby hotels. Please note the hotels in this list that aren't mentioned above, don't have discounts for St John WA.

For more information on the Experience, please get in touch with the Events team.

Why attend the Experience

Connecting: The St John Experience is the perfect opportunity to connect with colleagues all across the state, from all different specialities within the organisation.

 

Knowledge and education: The St John Experience provides an opportunity for attendees to hear new ideas and learn new skills in a different environment.

 

Inspiration and motivation: Attending gives you a chance to hear from various departments and special guest speakers on topics that are relevant and inspiring.

 

Accessing resources & tools: Attending the Experience will give you the opportunity to explore tools, technologies, and the resources available to you as a St John team member in a fun and informative way.

Experience Event Calendar

Event - session 1

Aug 142025

Pre-Conference Sessions

  • Check registration system for exact times
  • Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre
Conference - 1

Aug 15 2025

Conference, Awards and Celebration

  • 7.30am - 6pm
  • Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre
Event-DISCOVER

Aug 162025

Explore Coolamon Centre

  • Saturday: 9am – 2pm
  • 209 Great Eastern Highway. Belmont
Ball 1

Aug 162025

Black Tie Ball

  • Saturday: 7.00pm - 12.00am
  • Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre

Event Partners

Event Supporters

Prize Donors