The State Government has announced that $200,000 will be available for a new round of suicide prevention grants to promote community-based initiatives.
Member for Kalgoorlie, Wendy Duncan MLA, said that organisations from across the Goldfields are encouraged to apply for grants of up to $20,000 each for programs aimed at increasing protective factors and reducing self-harm and suicide risks.
“We have some programs that are really making a difference across the Goldfields such as Partners in Recovery – a program that supports people with severe and persistent mental health illness and their families and Hope Community Services who offer counselling, information and referral for individuals and families,” Ms Duncan said.
“However with statistics showing that suicide is the leading cause of death for people aged 15 to 44 in Australia and that on average one person loses their life to suicide each day in Western Australia the need to support our grassroots mental health organisations is imperative.”
The grants are intended to strengthen local support networks, help people develop coping strategies and encourage help-seeking behaviours by connecting people with available services and builds on previous funding that has focused on suicide prevention.
These grants would have a focus on Aboriginal-led programs that brought people together in a supportive environment to build personal resilience and enhance social and emotional wellbeing.
“Initiatives that include Aboriginal elder mentoring, youth leadership programs and back-to-country activities that encourage cultural healing along with organisations promoting the wellbeing of people in the LGBTI community are strongly encouraged to apply,” said Ms Duncan.
Applications for grants close at 5pm, November 14, 2016. For more information and guidelines on how to apply, visithttp://www.mhc.wa.gov.au
Both Lifeline 13 14 11 and Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 can be contacted for crisis support 24 hours a day.
For media enquiries contact Wendy Duncan MLA on 0438 782 034
