Lifeline Australia's E-Newsletter

February 2006

CEO Message

The New Year brings an exciting time for Lifeline. It offers us a chance to focus our energies and acknowledge the hard work of our staff and volunteers. It is this hard work that helps us to achieve Lifeline’s vision of a community where anyone can give and receive care, anytime and anywhere.

In this edition of our newsletter I would like to highlight our opportunity to see the real difference that Lifeline makes to the lives of so many Australians. One example of this is the important work being done by LivingWorks. The training they provide enables real people to offer support to people in real need.

It is programs such as this that Lifeline takes much pride in. With the help of all lifeline staff, supporters and volunteers the success of all of our programs can be felt where they are most needed, by the Australian public.

Dawn Smith
CEO

LivingWorks Update

The LivingWorks ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) workshop has now been in Australia and the South Pacific for a decade. During this time the number of ASIST workshops per year has steadily increased (see graph), with over 36,500 more community members being trained in suicide first-aid as a result. Lifeline trainers have made a significant contribution to this achievement.

We now have over 400 registered LivingWorks trainers in Australia – about 20% being from Lifeline. If you want to send someone to the next Training for Trainers (Melbourne: 27-31 March 2006) please visit www.livingworks.org.au or contact the LivingWorks National Office on 03 9894 1833 or info@livingworks.org.au.

Number of ASIST workshops in Australia and the South Pacific between 1996 and 2005

MindMatters and MindMatters Plus GP

A number of Lifeline Centres are currently working with schools in their local areas. To further support the role of Lifeline in youth mental health, throughout 2005 Lifeline Australia has been working with the Australian Principals Association Professional Development Council (APAPDC) and the Australian Divisions of General Practice (ADGP) to support the implementation of the MindMatters and MindMatters Plus General Practice initiatives.

A key outcome of the project has been the coordination of Lifeline Australia and ADGP in partnering two Lifeline Centres with Divisions of General Practice to support the implementation of MindMatters Plus GP in local secondary schools.

Lifeline Central West and the NSW Central West Division of General Practice have been working together to promote positive help-seeking attitudes and behaviours in the students, staff and parents of Kelso and Cowra High Schools and develop better referral pathways and networks of care for students with high support needs.

Lifeline Perth has been working with Perth Modern School and Perth Coastal DGP to implement an ASIST course for school psychologists in all West Coast District Education Office schools.

In addition, a number of Lifeline Centres have attended MindMatters Professional Development (PD) two day training courses and conferences. Attendance at MindMatters PD courses has provided Lifeline Centres with the opportunity to inform attendees about local Lifeline youth services and to establish networks with school staff.

For further information on collaboration projects between Lifeline and MindMatters and MindMatters Plus GP, please contact Julia Bennett, National Projects Coordinator, on 02 6215 9428 or email julia.bennett@lifeline.org.au.

Doing Dads Proud

Lifeline Sunshine Coast (a division of Lifeline Community Care Queensland) received the Community Event of the Year Award in this year's Maroochy Shire's Australia Day Awards.

Doing Dads Proud, an annual Father's Day community event, began in 2002 with nearly 2,000 people attending. The event has grown each year, with last year's attendance in excess of 18,000.

The award was presented to Chris Lancaster by Mayor Joe Natoli. Doing Dads Proud started out within the Men and Family Relationships Program on the Sunshine Coast with the theme "Anyone can be a Father...but it's special to be a Dad!"

In receiving the award, Chris Lancaster stated "It was a great encouragement to all of us at Lifeline Sunshine Coast and we dedicate it to the many wonderful Dads out there, whether socially or biologically, who are doing all they can for their kids."

Lifeline and MTAA - a partnership to prevent suicide

Lifeline and the Motor Trades Association of Australia Superannuation Fund (MTAA Super) are proud to announce the extension of their cause-related initiative ‘Read the Signs’ a campaign promoting help seeking and suicide prevention.

For the past two years, this campaign has sought to address concerns relating to the suicide rates of Fund members. The core messages of the campaign highlight that anyone can experience stress, depression or anxiety and that “it’s ok to ask for help.”

“The findings from evaluation of field trials conducted over the past two years confirm a very positive response to our campaign” commented Mr Michael Delaney, Principal Executive Officer and Fund Secretary of MTAA Super. “Overall the trials undertaken with employers and employees in a number of states have enabled Lifeline to gain greater insight and experience in promoting help-seeking and suicide prevention, not only among MTAA Super’s members but in relation to the population as a whole” he said.

Now entering its second phase, this campaign demonstrates the importance of the corporate and community sectors working together to improve the mental health and wellbeing of the Australian community.

“Partnerships such as this improve Lifeline’s ability to recognise and respond to Australians at risk of suicide and provide resources for supporting those who have been affected by suicide,” said Dawn Smith, CEO Lifeline Australia.

More than 2,200 Australians suicide each year and Lifeline call centres receive countless calls from people with thoughts of suicide. Campaigns such as ‘Read the Signs’ play a significant role in creating awareness around this important issue.

The impact of volunteering – from Lifeline International

Imagine LifeLine in Liberia, a country populated mainly by repatriated slaves from the USA. A country that has recently elected the First Woman President in Africa after gaining a fragile peace following years of civil war that destroyed all community structures. Or Ghana, one of Africa's oldest democracies which has a fragile peace with a volatile economy based on minerals and agriculture. In these hostile and ravaged environments, counselling services were started some time ago by caring individuals in their communities, often functioning in hiding for security reasons with no support and few resources. An overwhelming and dangerous task! In 1999, LifeLine Liberia and in 2003, LifeLine Ghana were affiliated to LifeLine International with the hope that belonging to our organisation would facilitate growth, sustainability and international awareness.

In May 2005, an amazing opportunity presented itself when Komlavi ATATY from Togo who has worked extensively in Africa with youth development programs including four years with LifeLine Childline Namibia (part of LifeLine Southern Africa) as a Development Officer and Trainer, offered his services as a volunteer to assess LifeLine in Liberia and Ghana. With his airfare paid by LifeLine International, Komlavi has established governance and management structures in both centres, facilitated the national registration of LifeLine Liberia as an NGO, established networks with health institutions, government departments and relevant NGOs – all in just six month. In time, we could have a West Africa Region as communities in Cameroon, Benin, Senegal, Nigeria and Togo have expressed interest in LifeLine's services. Despite experiencing floods, malaria and with the minimum of basic personal resources, Komlavi is still dedicated to the task of serving LifeLine International in accordance with our vision - 'Resilience and Emotional Well Being Through Supportive Communities'. To all our volunteers - THANK YOU! You are unique and a priceless resource.

Tom O'Toole's Bathtub Adventure

Tom O'Toole and his first mate Keith McIntosh

Motivational speaker and Beechworth Bakery founder Tom O’Toole recently made his way down the Murray River in a bathtub. While it may not be everyone’s perfect way to spend three weeks, Tom took on this adventure to promote Lifeline along with his new DVD.

Tom’s bathtub was powered by a small outboard motor which meant that he and first mate, Keith McIntosh averaged more than 120 kilometres a day. The pair left Albury, NSW on December 28 and finished their journey near Murray Bridge in South Australia after travelling more that 2,000 kilometres.

Tom has long been one of Lifeline’s most passionate supporters. He displayed his support through a toilet bowl mounted on the bow of his craft with the alternative Lifeline tag line ‘S#it happens, call Lifeline – anyone, anywhere for anyone’.