Workshop on empowerment and accountability in Indigenous Youth Suicide Prevention
Posted 6th May 2019
The Centre of Best Practice in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention (CBPATSISP) co-hosted a workshop on preventing Indigenous youth suicide in Canberra on Tuesday, 30 May.
The workshop focused on empowerment and accountability as ways to reduce suicide among Indigenous people and young people.
Quote
The attendance of young people, those with lived experience of suicide, LGBTQI, emerging leaders and Elders was important at the workshop. It’s critical that we listen to, and learn from them if we are to understand how to best respond. Empowering our young people and Elders to lead in suicide prevention activity particularly in their communities – was what the workshop was all about.
The workshop made a number of Calls to Action:
- A dedicated COAG Indigenous Suicide Prevention Plan developed by Indigenous leaders for nation-wide implementation within the COAG Fifth National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan implementation process. This plan requires a strong Indigenous youth component co-designed by our young leaders into the National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Peoples’ Mental Health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing 2017-2023.
- Greater funding to Aboriginal Community Controlled Health services to be able to deliver mental health services according to need.
The workshop demonstrated how incredible and ready communities are to lead a national response to Indigenous youth suicide.
Subscribe to eNews
Keep up to date and sign up to the Life in Mind eNews, sharing some of the latest news and research in suicide prevention.