Great South Coast Suicide Prevention Place Based Trial
Consultation has concluded
The Great South Coast 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.
The following activities have been prioritised for the Great South Coast
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.
YOUNG MEN'S HEALTH AND WELLBEING - STATUS: Active
In conjunction with headspace, this project targets 18 to 25-year-old men. It involves consultation and awareness-raising sessions to:
- Better understand their risks and vulnerabilities relating to risk of suicide and
- Support and engage the wider community recognising and responding to young men at risk of suicide.
For more information on this project, please contact headspace Warnambool Courtney Shiells cshiells@brophy.org.au
MEN'S HEALTH AND WELLBEING - STATUS: Complete
Focusing on men 26 years and older, the project offers mental health education and welfare support programs at 12 organisations in the Great South Coast area. Under the coordination of Outside the Locker Room, the project also help mental health planning for the region and draw on key data on male vulnerability and resilience to suicide. Clubs, groups and workplaces are able to secure one of the 12 funded Outside the Locker Room programs available. Details of this project will also be available as part of a final report prepared for the trial.
FARMER HEALTH AND WELLBEING - STATUS: Active
Deakin University’s National Centre for Farmer Health will collaborate with the community – including the members of the farming community – to develop a model for delivering peer-supported evidence based behavioural activation therapy to farmers experiencing depression or distress. This model will then be trailed and evaluated. For more information on his activity please visit https://farmerhealth.org.au/mental-health-4-ag
COORDINATED RESPONSE TO POSTVENTION - PROTOCOL DEVELOPMENT AND TRIAL - STATUS: Active
Lifeline Warrnambool will lead a co-design process and trial a coordinated community support response following a death where suicide is suspected. Supporting those bereaved by suicide is an important part of suicide prevention and this project will work towards a system to support the community following a death by suicide. Some components of these activities are still in development, further information will be shared here once it is available.
Please contact Catherine Jones Lifeline Warrnambool for information on the protocol Catherine.Jones@lifeline.org.au
Please note Catherine nor the protocol team do not provide crisis or grief treatment or services.
START SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING - STATUS: Active
The project supports community-wide access to Livingworks START Suicide Prevention program. It includes 750 training licenses to undertake the 90-minute online training project are funded and available to the communities of the Great South Coast area.
To express your interest in taking part in this training and for more detailed information about the project, please go to https://www.meetingplacewestvicphn.com.au/suicide-prevention-awareness-project
YOUTH HEALTH AND WELLBEING - STATUS: Active
Young people will be supported and encouraged to champion this Live4Life initiative alongside positive mental health messages in their schools and communities, with the development of the ‘Crew Engagement toolkit’ for peer-to-peer mentoring
The purpose of the Crew Engagement toolkit is to ensure that Live4Life Crew support workers in communities have the resources they need to deliver meaningful engagement, development and co-designed activities with young people. The toolkit should guide Crew support workers to ensure the engagement experience is safe, supported and encouraging for all young people.
For more detailed information on this project, please contact Live4Life https://www.live4life.org.au/get-in-touch
TEEN AND YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID EXPANSION - STATUS: Active
This project aims to expand to the delivery of Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) across the five local government areas of the Great South Coast region. By utilising best practice training programs, the goal of the project is to improve the mental health literacy of young people and the adults who support them (teachers, parents, carers, sports coaches etc). For more details on this project, please contact Live4Life https://www.live4life.org.au/get-in-touch
YARNING CIRCLE EXPANSION - STATUS: Active
Yarning Circle is an early intervention group program that delivers youth friendly and culturally sensitive education, interventions and supports for young Aboriginal people experiencing challenges. The program has been designed to include cultural safety principles informed by the Balit Murrup – Aboriginal Social and Emotional Well-Being Framework. The program is based on brief (or short-term) intervention, which includes delivering 5 x 1 hour sessions focusing on mental health, Alcohol and other Drugs (AOD) and physical health and wellbeing.
CULTURAL SAFETY CONTENT DEVELOPMENT - STATUS: Active
Access to cultural safety training has been limited in the Great South Coast for health and psychosocial support services working with at-risk youth. This Cultural Safety Content project will be developed to support organisations working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their communities. The project will also provide greater access to cultural safety practice training that is reflective of cultural safety practice in each of the four Aboriginal communities in the Great South Coast region, with localised context.
