#006: Craig Heslop from BuddyUp Australia on Supporting Those who Serve

A uniform can give someone purpose and identity.Taking it off can create a far bigger void than many realise. Craig Heslop put it better than I could on the podcast this week.Before running Buddy Up Australia, Craig spent years in policing. Hanging up that uniform is far from simple. Leaving frontline service delivery means leaving behind the structure, the team, and the sense of purpose that shaped your days.That’s where Buddy Up comes in. Filling that void for current and ex-serving first responders, defence force personnel and their families, before burnout can strike. Something I respect most about Craig’s approach to leadership: when he became CEO, he didn’t focus on expanding operations. He actually downsized to strengthen the organisational foundations before moving forward.  When I asked what he’d do with $1M in untied funding, his answer was equally pragmatic.Invest it.Grow it.Build something that lasts.In this episode we discuss:🟢 Why Buddy Up works upstream in prevention, not just crisis response🟢 Supporting defence personnel, first responders, and their families — both during and after service delivery🟢 The difficult transition from high-adrenaline service work to being present at home as a parent or partner🟢 Why loneliness and identity loss can hit hard after people leave uniformed roles🟢 Craig’s decision to remove locations early so the organisation could stabilise before expanding🟢 The “Buddy Up approach”: evidence-led, strengths-based, member-positioned, prevention-oriented, and professionally delivered🟢 Why one- to two-year grants create a hand-to-mouth cycle for many nonprofits🟢 Craig’s view that long-term sustainability matters more than short-term program funding