Want to know more about Lifeline?
Lifeline provides access to crisis support, suicide prevention and mental health support services.
Somewhere in Australia there is a new call to Lifeline every minute. People call Lifeline’s 24 hour crisis support service 13 11 14 about many things including:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Loneliness
- Abuse and trauma
- Physical or mental wellbeing
- Suicidal thoughts or attempts
- Stresses from work, family or society
- Information for friends and family
Lifeline also provides national services and campaigns that promote emotional wellbeing, encourage help seeking, and address suicide prevention and awareness.
Lifeline is a not-for-profit organisation and relies on community support.
To donate to Lifeline call 1800 800 768 or donate online now.
Lifeline’s Services
National Services
Local Community Services
A range of services are provided through local Lifeline Centres across Australia that meets the needs of local communities. These services may include:
- Suicide prevention and bereavement services• Face-to-face counselling
- Financial counselling
- Gambling counselling
- Youth services
- Disability services
- Welfare programs
- Rural outreach
- Migrant support services
- Family and mediation services
- Counselling services for children
- School based education programs
- Information education and support groups
- Aged care visitation; and
- Indigenous support services
To find out what services are offered in your local area
contact your nearest Lifeline Centre .
Lifeline’s living history
Lifeline was founded in 1963 by the late Reverend Dr. Sir AlanWalker, when he took a call from a distressed man who later took his ownlife. Determined not to let isolation and lack of support be the causeof more deaths, Sir Alan launched a 24-hour crisis support line. Thisservice (13 11 14) now answers around 1,250 calls each day, with around50 calls from people at high risk of suicide.
Lifeline’s services are now made possible through the efforts ofaround 1,000 staff and 11,000 volunteers, operating from over 60locations nationwide.
Services and resources are now provided through phone, face-to-face, and online mediums.
Image: Reverend Dr. Sir Alan Walker
Our Strategic Framework
Statistics on Suicide in Australia
Suicide remains the leading cause of death for Australians aged
15-44. Suicide accounts for more than one in five deaths of younger
Australians: for males between 15-34 years of age, and for females
between 15-24 years of age.
Deaths by suicide
- The most recent Australian data (ABS, Causes of Death, 2011) reports deaths due to suicide at 2,273.
- The overall suicide rate in 2011 was 9.9 per 100,000, compared to the 2010 preliminary rate of 10.5 and 2001 rate of 12.6.
- The highest suicide rates in the world are 34.3 in the Russian Federation in 2004 and 27.7 in Hungry in 2003*
- Men account for four out of every five deaths by suicide.
- Indigenous people are two and a half times more likely to die by suicide than non-indigenous people.
- The most recent data (ABS, Causes of Death, 2011) shows that
more people die from suicide in Australia than in road related transport
deaths (1,386 vs 2,273).
- The most recent data (ABS, Causes of Death, 2011) shows that
more people die from suicide in Australia than from skin cancer
(2,087).
Suicide attempts
- For every completed suicide it is estimated that as many as 30 people attempt.
- That’s 180 attempts per day.
- That’s more than one new attempt in Australia, every 10 minutes.
Thoughts of suicide (Suicidal ideation)
- It is estimated that 249 people make a suicide plan everyday.
- It is estimated that as many as 1014 people think about suicide every day.
*These are the only statistics available at the time of publishing.
Lifeline's Suicide Prevention Strategy
Lifeline believes most suicides are preventable and has developed the Lifeline Suicide Prevention Strategy to inform the public about our suicide prevention work and our vision for a suicide safer future.
In providing and progressing this Strategy, Lifeline is committed to a whole-of-community approach to preventing suicide in which everyone plays a role. Reducing stigma and increasing suicide awareness creates a climate for access to care and provision of care by Lifeline and the wider community.
Lifeline is a leading provider of services for suicide prevention. Our Strategy will guide the continual improvement and expansion of these services to effectively respond to the needs of individuals, families and communities to prevent tragic loss of life by suicide.
Crisis Support - Code of Conduct
In the delivery of Crisis Support Services, all Lifeline volunteers and staff:
- will adhere to the policies and procedures of Lifeline
- will not discriminate unfairly against people on basis of age, gender, sexual preference, marital status, religion, ethnicity, disability or financial status
- will show sensitive and non judgemental regard for the helpseekers’ beliefs and values. Personal beliefs or ideals are not to be imposed on helpseekers or other Crisis Supporters. This includes religious, personal or any other beliefs or philosophies
- will respect the confidentiality of the helpseeker within the limitations of safety to that helpseeker and the community. Crisis Supporters are expected to offer support and respect to all helpseekers but are required to respond to all contacts to ensure safety of helpseekers and other third parties through affirming life and minimising risk, harm or abuse to community
- will not engage in conduct that might damage the reputation of Lifeline and the services it provides
- will provide and update Lifeline with relevant information about their background, criminal history and personal circumstances that could affect actual or perceived ability to deliver Crisis Support Services
- will not contact or facilitate contact with a helpseeker during or after the call, nor exploit the helpseeker for financial, emotional or sexual gain
- will work within the limits of their role as defined by the Crisis Support Service Description and Practice Model and other Lifeline Policies and Procedures
- will recognise the limits of their training and expertise and make appropriate referrals when a helpseeker’s requirements are beyond their expertise
- will not provide services when under the influence of alcohol or other drugs which may impair judgement
- will utilise supervision processes to develop crisis support skills, monitor performance and provide accountability for practice
- will not use any information (de-identified or otherwise) obtained while undertaking their role within Lifeline, outside the organisation unless permission is sought and received from Lifeline National Office
Lifeline’s National Board
Lifeline’s National Board consists of 11 directors. The Board is responsible for the overall performance of Lifeline Australia, providing strategic direction, governance and leadership.
View our National Board Member Profiles and more information about Our Corporate Governance.
Lifeline CEO
Jane Hayden
Jane has 20 years of experience in business and IT consulting with the Australian Government. She is a qualified accountant, a member of the Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.Jane brings to Lifeline extensive experience from the public, private and not-for-profit sectors as well as many Board Directorships. She has a Bachelor of Commerce from ANU, and will shortly complete her MBA.
Lifeline’s brand
The Lifeline brand is a national, high profile not-for-profit brand with over 96% brand awareness and high levels of consumer trust. Lifeline works hard to deliver quality services and communications that maintain this brand integrity and community trust.
Brand protection notice
The Lifeline name, logo, and dots image are all Registered Trademarks belonging to Lifeline. As the legal owner of this intellectual property, and the custodian of the national brand, Lifeline must be responsible for directing and approving all uses of the Lifeline brand. If you have an enquiry regarding the Lifeline brand or wish to use the Lifeline logo for any reason, please contact the Lifeline National Marketing Team.