Ballarat Suicide Prevention Place Based Trial
The Ballarat Suicide Prevention Place Based Trial is one of two initiatives in Western Victoria to develop coordinated and collaborative strategies for reducing the rate of death by suicide. As part of a State-wide initiative, both place-based trials aim to:
- Reduce the rates of suicide
- Reduce suicide attempts
- Improve individual resilience and wellbeing
- Improve systems to prevent suicide
An essential part of the trial was the formation of local leadership groups, comprised of, local professionals, community organisations and people with lived experience. The leadership groups supported the development of priority activities Targeting the reduction of death by suicide. A series of complementary activities are now in the process of being implemented. All trial activities are being monitored and evaluated against a shared outcomes framework that was developed with the leadership group members
This trial has been developed in partnership with the Victorian Government.
The following activities have been prioritised for Ballarat.
TRIAL ACTIVITIES
DEVELOPMENT OF SUICIDE PREVENTION PLACE BASED TRIAL OUTCOMES FRAMEWORK - STATUS: Active
Through consultation with trial partners, an Outcomes Framework was developed to support the implementation of the place-based Trial.
IMPROVING GENERAL PRACTICE CAPACITY - STATUS: complete
Ballarat general practices and key stakeholders participated in an analysis of barriers to suicide prevention including levels of understanding, service capacity, and sense of capability for working with people at risk of suicide. Details of this project will also be available as part of a final report prepared for the trial.
CONNECT BACK RESOURCE PACKAGE - STATUS: Active
The Connect Back resource package has been developed to help support people seeking help and being at risk of suicide. This resource is a guide for individuals to identify key local networks and groups that provide formal and informal community-based support. A PDF version of the resource is available to download in the documents tab on this page.
LIVED EXPERIENCE STORIES CAMPAIGN - STATUS: Active
Learning from people with lived experience is paramount to preventing suicide in the future. Personal stories have been collated to demonstrate the diversity of experiences of individuals who share critical information about what they found helpful in their journey in the hope that sharing their learnings ay be helpful to others. These stories will be shared across three different media formats/publications:
- Written publication sharing stories of hope published in a book
- Stories from the Aboriginal community across Ballarat
- Lived experience from young people of Ballarat
Some components of these activities are still in development.
Please contact Andrew Penny from Ballarat headspace for more information on this project - Andrewp@headspaceballarat.org.au
MEN'S HEALTH AND WELLBEING - STATUS: Complete
Mental health and suicide prevention community awareness and wellbeing support programs are available to 30 community groups and/or organisations in Ballarat. Future mental health and suicide prevention planning for the region will further draw on key data relating to male suicides. Details of this project will also be available as part of a final report prepared for the trial.
PEER SUPPORT AND NAVIGATION - STATUS: Complete
This project combined two different pieces of work:
- Community Welcome Program: The Community Welcome Program aims to help community organisations and businesses in Ballarat to recognize their role in identifying people at risk and guide them to the appropriate level of support available. services.
- Review of peer speaker models: This project involves a review of local peer speaker models as well as opportunities to promote a sustainable platform for the voice of lived experience in the community.
Details of this project will also be available as part of a final report prepared for the trial
YOUNG WOMEN'S HEALTH AND WELLBEING - STATUS: Complete
headspace will deliver two, eight-week programs for young women to improve their sense of connectedness, self-confidence and self-regulation. This program encourages young women to seek help to reduce the incidence of repeated acts of self-harm. The sessions will be structured into two groups: one for women aged 13-17 years-olds and another for women aged 18-25-years-olds. Details of this project will also be available as part of a final report prepared for the trial.
WOMEN'S HEALTH AND WELLBEING - STATUS: Completed
Programs were developed and delivered to women over the age of 26 to improve their sense of connectedness, self-confidence and self-regulation. This program encourages women to seek help to reduce the incidence of repeated acts of self-harm. Ballarat Community Health delivered the program through virtual and face-to-face methods.
Details of this project will also be available as part of a final report prepared for the trial
COORDINATED RESPONSE TO POSTVENTION - PROTOCOL DEVELOPMENT AND TRIAL - STATUS: Active
The target of this project is to establish and trial a postvention response model to support the community following a death by suicide. Ballarat Community Health is leading a co-design postvention program that will then be trialed in the community. Supporting people bereaved by suicide is an important part of suicide prevention. This work is underway and progress will be shared through this site.
Community resource to support those bereaved by suicide is available in the documents tab on this page
Please contact Lesley McKarnery from Ballarat Community Health for information on the protocol LesleyM@bchc.org.au
Please note Lesley nor the protocol team do not provide crisis or grief treatment or services
EDUCATION AND TRAINING - STATUS: Active
Access to suicide prevention training programs for the community is a key element to this project. 760 participants will be able to access training, through this project. The programs funding for this project include access to the following training programs:
- Livingworks START
- safeTALK
- Accidential Counsellor
- ASIST
Other components to this project include:
- Gaining a better understanding of people’s diverse needs through extensive consultation with community members including Aboriginal community leaders, secondary schools, local TAFE and other social support organisations. and;
- Building the capacity of trainers and increasing access to education and training for people in the community to enhance community awareness and confidence in identifying and responding to people at risk
Interested people can access more details by visiting https://www.meetingplacewestvicphn.com.au/education-and-training-ballarat
