Australian Suicide Prevention Foundation

 Send medically-approved texts from the free App

“Suicide and attempted suicide are the commonest causes of death and injury between the ages of 15 and 49, male or female, in Australia." (ABS) 

It is more than twice as common as car accidents as a cause of death and injury. (Australian Bureau of Statistics; Australian Institute of Health and Welfare).”

The Australian Suicide Prevention Foundation today said the fear of not knowing what to say or being frightened of saying the wrong thing is a common barrier in the fight against suicide.'

Clinical Associate Professor David Horgan, the founder of the Australian Suicide Prevention Foundation said 40% of all people will have contact at some time in life with a person close to us who has strong suicidal ideas, which may be brief or go on for weeks or longer.”

“Establishing a connection with a family member, friend, or workmate to let them know you are there to help them can save their life.”  

Dr. Horgan, said the Australian Suicide Prevention Foundation, had developed the “Prevent A Suicide: What to Say" programme aimed at giving individuals and the community a safety net to immediately wrap around anyone close to them who mentions suicide, so that the person’s safety can become a shared effort involving both the community and professionals.
The Free App "Prevent A Suicide: What to Say", is a bank of medically approved text messages which family and friends can download with one click and send to a suicidal person as texts or WhatsApp appropriate messages.

“It is a way to prevent a suicide by sending a message, saving a life! 

Dr. Horgan said "having direct free access to the “Prevent a Suicide What to Say App” twenty-four hours a day through a computer or mobile phone is a major advantage for people in an emergency and can be easily shared" . 

 The In Tough Times Text website and the "Prevent A Suicide: What to Say" App are available 24/7. No training is required. There are no signups which ensures privacy.  

Website Link www.InToughTimesText.org.au

Download FREE App 

Link to App store for FREE "Prevent A Suicide: What to Say"

https://apps.apple.com/au/app/prevent-a-suicide-what-to-say/id6446113587

Link to Google Play for "Prevent A Suicide: What to Say"

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.au.prevent.iitapp&pli=1

Wellsprings for Women

One of Victoria’s most established support services in the City of Dandenong for migrant women dealing with family violence, could be forced to close its case management service because of lack of funding.

Janet Cribbes, Chair of Wellsprings for Women, said Wellsprings provides services to women, especially migrant women, who face several barriers including language, cultural, religious, lack of familiarity of services and systems, and socio-economic disadvantage.    

The region where Wellsprings operates has the highest number of women reporting family violence in the State. 

Currently Wellsprings is assisting over 100 women with a small team of 5 staff. Should the funding end Wellsprings is concerned about its clients and how to keep supporting them.

Ms Cribbes said "The Wellsprings service model is flexible, unencumbered by eligibility criteria, time limits, or rigid procedures which is a vital element when dealing with complex family violence.”

A significant number of migrant and refugee women who choose to disclose their experiences of family violence to our staff, do not wish to leave the relationship and need our support while they consider their options. "Often they perceive the alternative to staying as worse.”

Ms Cribbes said Government and other agencies refer women with critical family violence experiences to Wellsprings to receive the social, emotional, and practical supports they need, which other agencies are unable, or unequipped to provide.

Wellsprings staff provide assistance with attending courts, accessing legal advice, attending police or child protection, and being available when women are facing dangerous situations. 

“Due to Wellsprings women-only environment and the range of programs and services offered, the women feel comfortable and secure in attending the Centre, participating in a program while being a client of Wellsprings. This gives them the discretion they need which is not the case if they were attending a dedicated Family Violence service,” Ms Cribbes said.

“Wellsprings for Women provides culturally responsive and appropriate support to women impacted by family violence within a welcoming environment.”       

Ms Cribbes said, Wellsprings is advocating for a diverse family violence service system that offers migrant and refugee women the options to access the service that suits their needs and supports the choices they make. 

“Importantly women of migrant and refugee background impacted by family violence present with complex and wide-ranging needs which are most effectively addressed within agencies where they have developed trust and built rapport.”

History of Wellsprings for Women 1994 to 2021 

In 1994 Wellsprings opened its doors one day per week as a Drop-in Centre offering a friendly environment for women to meet in a non-threatening, homely venue. 

As the number of women attending the Centre grew, a holistic program was developed addressing the physical, emotional, spiritual, recreational, educational and skill based needs of the women. 

These programs were offered to encourage and empower women to grow in self esteem and learn about the wide variety of opportunities available to them in the community.

The large number of Refugee and Asylum Seeker families who have moved into the Dandenong area called for new and creative responses to a wide variety of needs, and the centre has evolved to provide programs to meet these needs.

From that beginning the Programs have gradually increased to the point where the centre is now open 5 days a week and caters for approximately 300 women weekly. 

Wellsprings has fully qualified staff and a large number of well-trained volunteers.

Click HERE for further information. 

Tradeswomen Australia Community Foundation

Building Career Pathways in the Trades for Women at Risk  

Tradeswomen Australia Group – Tradeswomen Australia (TWA) and Tradeswomen Australia Community Foundation (TWACF) today announced the Wyndham Pathways Project aimed at assisting women obtain access to well-paid employment in the trades area.  

The project will focus on women in vulnerable and at-risk demographics, including but not limited to, newly arrived women, women from lower-income households, and women recovering from trauma.

Chair of Tradeswomen Australia Community Foundation, Janet Cribbes said “Participation of women as apprentices/trainees in the non-traditional trades, especially the core trades of construction, automotive and electrical, has remained at less than 2% and has changed little over the last 25 years.  

Ms Cribbes said through the Wyndham Pathways Project, with the combined resources and connections of Tradeswomen Australia (TWA) and Tradeswomen Australia Community Foundation (TWACF), we are encouraging women to enter the trades with information, connections, support and the power of social and economic inclusion. 

“As Australia works through the economic turmoil of the pandemic, there is an increasing danger that the poverty gap will widen substantially, and the Wyndham Pathways Project in its approach could be the catalyst for a wider movement of such programs to assist women. 

“The Wyndham Pathways Project welcomes women of all backgrounds, and we have a particular focus on supporting indigenous women, women refugees and asylum-seekers, culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and women with a disability.”

Ms Cribbes announced that TWACF has appointed Ms Katie Yates, a highly experienced and successful manager of major social and economic inclusion campaigns for the Lord Mayor’s Appeal in London as the TWACF Community Project Manager to head the Wyndham Pathways Project. Ms Yates moved from London to Melbourne in November 2020 after completing her Masters degree in Human Rights at the London School of Economics and Political Science. 

Ms Yates said, “through a series of co-ordinated workshops participants will gain access to trades businesses and develop skills confidence and connections including: 
 
• Seeing a variety of roles within the trades industry and the women that occupy them
• Gaining increased knowledge of the different roles available to them.
• Develop supportive relationships with their peers and mentors.
• Finish the programme with increased confidence in their abilities.
 
“By the end of the programme, participants will have increased confidence to pursue a career within the trades industry and will have secured jobs or further training to begin carving their own pathway into their chosen trade,” Ms Yates said. 
 
CLICK HERE to register to attend the Information Session | 'Building Futures: Pathways to Trade' with TWACF Thursday 25 February at 6.00pm. 
 
This will be hosted on Zoom and will be recorded and is an opportunity for prospective participants to learn more about the programme and its benefits. 
 
The Tradeswomen Australia Group Wyndham Pathways Project is supported by the City of Wyndham, Lord Mayor’s Charitable Fund and Victoria University. 

https://www.twacf.org/about-twacf