Fundraising News
On 24 July, 2008, Lifeline Australia will hold a major fundraising event - ‘Stress Down on 24/7’.
Lifeline provides access to a range of mental health support services that connect people with care, promote emotional wellbeing, encourage help seeking, and address suicide prevention and awareness.
‘Stress Down on 24/7’ will encourage people and their workplaces to have fun and participate in stress reducing activities in return for making a financial donation to Lifeline.
The money raised will go mainly towards covering the growing costs for Lifeline’s 24 hour telephone counselling line – 13 11 14. This will help ensure that the service remains available to anyone needing emotional support, for the cost of a local call.
How do I get involved?
Individuals and organisations can get involved by doing one of three things to raise funds:
- Creating your own ‘Stress Down’ event. For example:
- dressing casually (the more adventurous might even wear PJ’s or slippers to work)
- hosting a morning tea, golf day, ski trip, team-building
- organise an employee excursion (eg. to the country)
- allow staff to purchase a day off; or
- come up with your own ideas
- Purchasing ‘Stress Down on 24/7’ campaign merchandise to show support (such as slippers, beanie, mug or badge); or
- Simply make a donation
To find out more information and register your interest, visit www.stressdown.org.au
Business Development News
Delivering DiVeRT - Domestic Violence Response Training
Lifeline Australia is delivering national Domestic Violence Response Training (DiVeRT) in rural and remote Australia specifically tailored for Practice Nurses and Aboriginal Health Workers (PNs and AHWs).
Domestic violence is a serious issue that affects more than one in three Australian women (Personal Safety Survey, 2005). Of the women in this survey who experienced violence, 64% did not report the incident to police, approximately 90% did not access any crisis service or legal help, and more than 10% did not talk to anyone about the incident.
The DiVeRT program uses a blended training approach with both face-to-face and e-learning training options, to cover topics such as; the impact on people affected by domestic violence; providing support and connecting victims with resources; raising community awareness; strategies for ensuring personal safety; and linking PNs and AHWs with peers in rural and remote areas of Australia.
The pilot phase of the DiVeRT program was recently completed. 32 face-to-face sessions have now been scheduled, and 48 participants are enrolled in the e-learning course. The program is funded by the Australian Government - Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and continues until July 2009. For more information visit the Training and Education section of our website.
Partnerships / Supporter News
Lifeline receives award for campaigns with the NRL and Triple Eight Racing
On Monday 25 February, Lifeline Australia was honored with two awards from the Fundraising Institute of Australia, in recognition of suicide awareness campaigns run in partnership with National Rugby League’s One Community Program and Team Vodafone Triple Eight Racing.
Lifeline Australia received National Awards for Excellence in Fundraising in the Fundraising Marketing category, as well as a special commendation for the “help a mate stay in the game” and “help a mate stay in the race” campaigns.
Both campaigns aimed to raise awareness about suicide risk and encourage help-seeking behaviour – particularly among young men – by enabling these messages to be delivered and promoted to Australians through the popular and high profile sports of rugby league and V8 motor racing.
For more information, visit Lifeline’s Corporate Partnerships section of our website.
Suicide Prevention
Partnerships with Superannuation Funds - Shaping the Future of Suicide Prevention
Lifeline Australia CEO, Dawn O’Neil attended the Conference of Major Superannuation Funds (CMSF) in Brisbane from 17-19 March 2008, to present on mental health and wellbeing initiatives for Super funds.
Lifeline has two very successful and ongoing partnerships with MTAA Super and Prime Super– Funds that have been actively involved in promoting positive messages about emotional wellbeing and suicide prevention.
Snapshot of results from the MTAA Super readthesigns program:
- Started in 2002 in response to concern about the high number of young member death claims as a result of suicide
- Aims include encouraging help-seeking behaviours and raising awareness of mental health and suicide prevention
- A 53% reduction in suicide death claims has occurred over the last three years.
Snapshot of results from Prime Super Program:
- Lifeline has distributed 53,000 self-help tool kits to individuals and organisations.
- Self-help information has been presented at four Prime-sponsored events in rural Australia.
Ms O’Neil presented these results to conference delegates and highlighted that Super Funds can play a role in shaping the future for Australians, in more than just an economic way, by using targeted programs such as these. For more information on these partnerships visit the Support Us section of our website.