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In 2021, suicide accounted for 5.3 per cent of all deaths of Indigenous Australians, compared to 1.8 per cent among non-Indigenous Australians. That’s a high number. And that’s why Wesley LifeForce partnered with The Seedling Group to develop a culturally responsive suicide prevention program – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Training program – to address these disproportionately high suicide rates.
In a recent study by the Institute for Positive Psychology and Education at Australian Catholic University, they interviewed 14 program participants to discover the effectiveness of our program. And what they uncovered has been positive.
“One thing I did like was that the trainer on the day, actually had a lived experience of suicide.”
– Participant
Program strengths:
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- relevant and high-quality content
- excellent presenters and engaging workshop format
- safe and calm delivery
- reinforcement of existing knowledge
- cultural importance and benefits of peer learning.
Participant gains:
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- new skills for working with Indigenous peoples
- improved ability to identify suicide warning signs
- enhanced response techniques for those contemplating suicide
- broader knowledge of appropriate intervention methods.
What did our participants say?
Our participants said the training has equipped them with the relevant skills and knowledge for suicide prevention. While the levels of experience helping someone at risk of suicide differed between the participants, the program was still well-received, showing the program’s versatility and broad applicability.
“There are a lot of people that have been affected by suicide, and that ability to be able to talk about it openly was one of the really good points in the session.”
– Participant
We’re encouraged by this feedback and believe our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Train the Trainer Program will play a vital role in addressing the critical issue of suicide among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Most importantly, recommendations to strengthen the program are now being actioned to build upon its initial success.
“I have definitely gained skills to share with my community and family. And in particular, some of the things that I guess resonate with me throughout the training is the rates of suicide in Australia, and how high they are compared to other death rates.”
– Participant
