• ARBOR (Active Response Bereavement Outreach) – bereavement counselling and peer support
  • ARBOR is a free service that offers short-medium term grief-counselling, practical/emotional support, appropriate referral support, volunteer lived-experience peer support and support groups to people who have been recently impacted by lost loved ones to suicide.
• Kids Helpline – When someone dies by suicide
• Mental Health Commission – When someone takes their own life – What next brochure 2019

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health First Aid
• Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
• Guidelines for Aboriginal Mental Health First Aids Training
• Lifeline present a Living Works safeTalk training program
• safeTALK: Suicide Alertness for Everyone
• Mental Health Association of Central Australia -Aboriginal Suicide Prevention -Suicide Story
• Wesley LifeForce Suicide Prevention Training for Indigenous community

The headspace Clinical Toolkit provides you with the information needed to recognise and treat common mental health issues in young people. It is organised into different Tools, each one containing information around one main topic.

Motivational care planning – Self management in Indigenous mental health Nagel T. (2006) This article discusses the development of self management skills
in mental health, with particular reference to the use of brief interventions in remote indigenous communities, and highlights qualitative findings of a recent study, which sought to integrate these interventions into a practical approach to treatment.

• eheadspace.org.au
  • eheadspace provides free online and telephone support and counselling to young people 12 – 25 and their families and friends. If you’re based in Australia and going through a tough time, eheadspace can help.
• Beyond Blue
• Kids Helpline
• Lifeline
• Suicide Call Back Service
  • Is a nationwide service providing 24/7 telephone and online counselling to people affected by suicide.

Language and Culture – Working Together Session

In May 2019 Empowered Communities brought together Aboriginal organisations and leaders from across the East Kimberley to talk about Language and
Culture. Together we;

• Shared stories and experiences to build a shared understanding of what Language and Culture means.
• Explored our hopes and aspirations for Language and Culture.
• Named what success would look like when Language and Culture are strong.
• Began to plan how we can track and measure progress.

Click here for the Powerpoint presentation or visit the Binarri-binyja yarrawoo website.  The backbone organisation for the Empowered Communities reform agenda in the East Kimberley.

The Working Together book was written by recognised experts, practitioners and researchers in a range of disciplines within the mental health field and have presented a variety of perspectives related to the causes and possible solutions to many of the social and emotional and mental health issues experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Dudgeon, P., Milroy, H., & Walker, R. (2014). Working Together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and Wellbeing Principles and Practice (2^nd edition). Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia

• Alive and Kicking Goals!
  • This project (based in Broome) is a suicide prevention peer education project which takes an innovative approach to tackle the inadequate provision of mental health services to youth at risk in the Kimberley. It is a positively-framed project which aims to prevent self-harm and suicidal behaviours by enhancing protective factors.
• Be Deadly Online
  • Is a series of resources including animation, poster and video campaigns for communities and schools created with input from Aboriginal communities across Australia. (Qld, Vic & WA)
• Beyond Blue – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
  • A range of research, information, education and support strategies developed in consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations.
• #Chatsafe – A Young Person’s Guide for Communicating Safely Online About Suicide
  • The #chatsafe guidelines have been developed in partnership with young people to provide support to those who might be responding to suicide-related content posted by others or for those who might want to share their own feelings and experiences with suicidal thoughts, feelings or behaviours.
• Headspace: Yarn Safe
  •  A website with information that may help you or somebody else, if you are going through a hard time. There’s no shame in talking it out.
• Headspace: Diversity in the work place is a beautiful thing – Nathan Bramston
  • Nathan shares his story and video of working at Headspace helping to build cultural capacity.
• Head to Health –
  • A website with resources for supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
• Heal Our Way Campaign
  • Heal Our Way is a NSW Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Campaign funded by the NSW Ministry of Health under the Towards Zero Suicides (TZS) and is led by Cox Inall Ridgeway in partnership with Aboriginal Communities within NSW.
  • For stakeholders, check out their stakeholders kit comprising of a various tools such as guides to running a strengths-based yarning circle. 
  • Do also check out their guide to safe conversations around asking someone about suicide. 
• ibobbly-app
  • iBobbly is the world’s first suicide prevention app designed for young Indigenous Australians that delivers therapy in a culturally relevant way.
• Keeping Strong
  • A flyer about the ways to keep strong and find help and healing.
• Lifeline Toolkit
  • A self-help resource to help people living with mental illness.
• Lighting the Dark – Preventing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide video
  • A video produced by the Queensland and Aboriginal and Islander Health Council featuring NRL players.
• RUOK?
  • The RUOK? ‘Stronger Together’ kit is a free resource containing videos, posters and a conversation guide.
• Waltja Tjutangku Palyapayi Aboriginal Corporation
  • Waltja is a community based organisation that works with families from Central Desert indigenous communities to address major issues affecting their communities.
• Wesley Mission 
  • At Wesley Mission, we believe that every life matters. Through our suicide prevention programs, we aim to help those at risk of suicide find the assistance they need. We are a trusted leader in this field, having established Lifeline and suicide prevention program, Wesley LifeForce.
• #YouCanTalk 
  • #YouCanTalk is a national suicide prevention campaign, led by some of Australia’s mental health and suicide prevention organisations, which aims to empower and increase confidence when it comes to talking about suicide.

• Beyond Blue – Finding Our Way Back – Information for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples after a suicide attempt
  • This resource provides practical information for you, your family and friends about what to do and what to expect if someone has attempted suicide.
• Healing Our Way After a Suicide Brochure
  • This brochure was developed as a joint initiative of health organisations in Yarrabah, Qld.
• Mindframe – for Suicide Prevention and Mental Health sector
  • The suicide prevention and mental health sector play an important role in safely communicating about suicide and mental ill-health to the Australian public.
• Postvention Australia is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting and helping people bereaved by suicide – those who are left behind after a suicide takes place. They provide information & support packs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are bereaved by suicide or other sudden death. These packs have been produced by Urbis Keys Young in consultation with community and government stakeholders in each State and Territory, containing information on the process of loss and grief, how to talk to young people about suicide or sudden death, and services and resources available to people grieving.  The information booklets have a section on Grieving the Aboriginal Way adapted from Westerman, Tracy & Feehann, Ashley, Grieving Aboriginal Way, Indigenous Psychological Services, 2001. Illustrated by Kye McGuire.
• Thirrili works with communities that have experienced suicide or are currently experiencing trauma as well as communities who have recognised that increased governance and community capacity building are important to strengthen postvention. Their Critical Response Support Advocates consider the throughcare plan and how this plan will assist the individuals’ physical and mental health, social and emotional wellbeing and the benefits to cultural, spiritual and community health. A key part of the plan is to help develop capacity and governance within the community. Follow-up contacts are made to ensure that the community and families are building resilience and are continuing to heal. This may involve an advocate attending the location (or using a local service provider) to assist with the grieving process, liaising with the family to arrange a funeral or other culturally-appropriate interactions. The advocate would also assist the family in dealing with perhaps physically-distant government agencies or financial institutions that are involved after a suicide.

The Suicide Prevention and Response resources produced by Be You provide clear, practical and reliable guidance and support to assist schools in suicide prevention and response. Be You is part of Beyond Blue.

It provides strategies for supporting students, staff, families and the broader community. The information can be used to:

• prepare your school community to be ready should a death by suicide occur
• guide your school on how to support a young person at risk of suicide
• guide your response to a death by suicide and the subsequent recovery for the school community.

Schools may have a ‘Be You’ consultant who can assist teachers and families to work through the required actions to prepare for, respond to or recover from issues related to youth suicide.

• Headspace in Schools
• Communicating effectively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People
• Responding to Suicide Attempts in Secondary Schools – Headspace
• Suicide Prevention Toolkit – A Guide for Secondary Schools – Headspace
  • This toolkit will assist teachers in a school that has been impacted by a recent suicide. Check if there is a Be You team that can be contacted directly to access support. While the Suicide Response Toolkit is written for the whole school community there are a series of Be You Fact Sheets that are specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.

Be You has produced a series of Fact Sheets to support staff working with Aboriginal and Islander children and young people and their families after a suicide. These include:

Self-care for school staff working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in remote areas

Remembering a young person: Memorials and important events

Grief: How Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people might respond to suicide

Suicide in schools: Information for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families

Suicide contagion for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people

Suicide response and postvention guidelines for schools

Educational resources for teachers, students and schools

Many wonderful organisations provide quality educational resources that can be used to learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures. Click here for a collection of websites and resources not only valuable for teachers, students and schools, but also all Australians looking to better understand and celebrate Australia’s First Peoples and rich Indigenous history.

Working with young people – This guide aims to support workers and agencies working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people who use alcohol and other drugs.

• Suicide Prevention Australia
• National Mental Health Commission
• Western Australian Mental Health Commission
• National Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Leadership Mental Health (NATSILMH)
• Lifeline
• Beyond Blue
• Parliament of New South Wales – Report into Prevention of Youth Suicide in NSW

Related Research

• Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia
• National Empowerment Project
• Working Together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and Wellbeing Principles and Practice 2014, second edition

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2013 – 2023
• Balit Murrup: Aboriginal Social Emotional Wellbeing Framework 2017-2027 – Victorian State Government
• Charter 2020: Principles for Mental Health Reform
• National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Strategy
• National Integration Strategy for Closing the Gap in Indigenous Disadvantage 2009
• Queensland Suicide Prevention Plan Every life 2019–2029

• AIMhi Stay Strong app
  • The AIMhi Stay Strong App is an innovative tool that addresses the mental health and wellbeing concerns of First Nations Australians using a cross-cultural approach. It is designed to promote wellbeing by reviewing strengths, worries and the goals or changes people would like to make in their lives.
• The eMHPrac Resource Guide for Practitioners provides a useful overview of various Australian online and teleweb programs. All listed programs have been developed by credible sources, such as the Australian Government, universities, and national non-government organisations. This includes apps, online programs, online forums, and phone services, as well as a range of digital information resources. It includes A Brief Guide: Digital Mental Health Resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
• HeadtoHealth
  • If you’re trying to improve your own mental health, or support somebody else with mental health issues, Head to Health provides links to trusted Australian online and phone supports, resources and treatment options. It also features Samthebot who is an online robot designed to answer relevant queries.
• headspace.org.au – Got a lot going on?
• Hitnet Community Hubs
  • Hitnet brings information and services to the hardest to reach people in the world.
• Working for Spirit, Mind and Soul – DVD
• Indigenous Community Videos – Working for Spirit, Mind and Soul – DVD
• Kids Helpline
• ‘Life Giving Music and Dance’ DVD
  • This video was driven by key figures in the communities of Galiwin’ku and Milingimbi, telling the story in Djambarrpuynu of how music, dancing and singing can improve your mental health, showing the significance of music and dance for Yolgnu people as the vital ingredients that provide the identity and resilience necessary for community members to maintain good mental Health. Produced for NT Medicare Local in 2013.
• Lived Experience Perspectives
  • IASP Congress 2021 – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Lived Experience Perspectives.  This video was produced by the National Mental Health Commission and Black Dog Institute.
• Love and Hope Video
• PSY [Preventing Suicide in Youth] Facebook Group
  • This group is for peer support and is not a professional counselling service.
• Proppa Deadly
  • Proppa Deadly is an initiative by Beyond Blue on which includes a number Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people sharing their stories and encouraging others to take action to address depression and anxiety. This is achieved via the First Nations community radio at sixteen radio stations in metropolitan, regional and remote areas of Australia.
• SANE Online Forums
  • SANE offer services to help support all Australians affected by complex mental health issues.
• Yarn Safe Website
  • Got a lot going on? When we’ve got a lot going on we can feel sad, tired, stressed and angry. Everybody has these feelings when life is tough, but when these feelings go on for a long time it can weaken our body, mind and spirit. If you feel like there is too much happening, clearing your head can help. Below is some information that may help you or somebody else, when going through a hard time. There’s no shame in talking it out.
    headspace is your space to yarn safe.
• Young Proud and Strong
  • The Young, Strong and Proud project works with young people in discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Queensland with the aim of developing a series of communication resources aimed at alcohol use, tobacco use, and inhalant use reduction.

SEWB Explainer Vimeo 

An educational resource develop by Yamatji-Nyoongar man Kevin Taylor to explain what is Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) for Aboriginal peoples and what can impact a person’s Social and Emotional Wellbeing.

There are many sources of information and statistics about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s health and social issues.

Aboriginal Interpreting Western Australia – the only Indigenous language interpreting service in Western Australia.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare – An overview of the Health & Welfare of Australia’s Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people.

Australian Institute of Family Studies – Reports prepared for the Closing the Gap Clearinghouse 2009 -2014.

Black Dog Institute – Clinical Resources – Facts about Suicide in Australia 2018

CRESP: Centre of Research Excellence in Suicide Prevention – aims to generate new research to increase the knowledge of effective prevention and treatment in suicide prevention. The Centre has four research streams focusing on improving delivery of interventions, better knowledge of causes and risks, increasing help-seeking, and better prioritising of funds.

Early,Trauma, Grief at Australian National University – Fact Sheet No. 16 – Suicide Prevention in Indigenous Communities 2007

Justice Health Unit, School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne – The Justice Health Unit seeks to generate world-class evidence regarding the health and health service experiences of justice-involved populations, and to advocate for evidence-informed policy to improve their health outcomes.

Life In Mind Australia – is a resource for suicide prevention in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and people looking for information about suicide.

Menzies School of Health Research – Menzies School of Health Research is Australia’s only medical research institute whose major focus is improving Indigenous health and wellbeing.

Productivity Commission – Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage, Key Indicators 2016

Social and Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Services in Aboriginal Australia – This website is designed for those seeking to learn about ways of meeting the social and emotional wellbeing and mental health needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.

Suicide Prevention Australia – National peak body for the suicide prevention sector. This organisation supports, collaborates and advocates for the meaningful reduction of suicide in Australia.

Yorgum – Aboriginal Corporation offering services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

• AIMhi Stay Strong IPad app
• AIMhi Yarning resources
• Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association – Cultural Competency Training
• National guide to a preventive health assessment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people – Second edition
• Menzies School of Health Research – Mental health clinical audit and protocol
• SNAICC – National Voice for our Children – Training Programs in Cultural Competence
• Youth Health Clinical Audit Tool 2014