The Alliance for Suicide Prevention - Sunshine Coast

10/09/2025

World Su***de Prevention Day challenges us to have brave, open conversations about su***de – to tackle silence and stigma and ensure people impacted by suicidality are seen and heard.

One in six Australians have seriously considered taking their own life, according to the 2020–22 National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing.

You can ready yourself to notice when a colleague, patient, student, client or loved one is struggling, and start a potentially life-saving conversation.

Today, for , register for our LivingWorks su***de alertness training offerings:

🤝 Start: Free 90-minute online training.https://www.thealliance.org.au/start/

🤝 safeTALK: Half-day workshop with a master level trainer. Certificate provided. Learn a simple, effective su***de alertness model.
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/safetalk-su***de-alertness-training-tickets-1448343938709?aff=oddtdtcreator

To encourage people to play their part in World Su***de Prevention Day, we're offering our followers a 10% discount on safeTALK. Enter the promo code 'WSPD2025' at the checkout.

October's safeTALK will be our 113th su***de prevention training event we've held for the community. A survey of attendees indicates that 85% went on to offer support to someone struggling using the skills they gained in the training. We're so proud of these community members and the safety net they've helped create.

20/06/2025

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐬

𝑊𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔: 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑢𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑑𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑏𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑝𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒. 𝑃𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑖𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡.

We usually post a recap of photos after each safeTALK event and acknowledge the varied professions of the people who attended.

But this post is going to be a little different.

We’re not going to mention the type of people at training, or even their jobs.

Instead, we’re talking about just one.

One person.

One car.

One journey.

Her name is Katrina Kinn.

Katrina drove an eight and half hour round trip from rural New South Wales, during a freezing cold weather snap, to make it to our su***de prevention training this month on the Sunshine Coast.

All in the service of others.

“I am the founder of PTSD Peer Support and the majority of people who use the service have had thoughts of su***de, attempted su***de or planned su***de,” Katrina said.

With a genuine desire to be an avenue of help for her community group, Katrina quickly realised she needed additional skills to run her peer support meet ups.

“I thought - I need to learn what conversations around su***de are safe and what is not, how I can effectively approach the conversation and how to help people get help,” she says.

Katrina has lived experience in PTSD and throughout her journey experienced suicidality. Now, with enough mental health stability in her own life she is dedicating her time to help others who are struggling.

“How do I have a conversation about su***de in a way that is safe for them and safe for me,” she says.

Katrina’s genuine curiosity and commitment to answering that question led her to attend our safeTALK training last week, all the way from across the border of New South Wales.

“The safeTALK course was fantastic. I am so glad I did it.”

“It really clarified for me how to identify the signs that someone may be thinking of su***de, how to approach the conversation and how to support them in getting help,” she said.

After her own experiences, Katrina is using her recovery and strength to support others.

A hero among us.

“If all it takes is an 8 hour road-trip to learn how to have a conversation that can potentially save a life, then it is a worthwhile road-trip to take, in my view.”

“With the information and conversation skills I learnt on the safeTALK course I feel much more confident to approach a conversation of su***de,” Katrina said.

Sometimes, all it takes is just one person.

One person to ask.

One person to have a conversation.

One person to connect another to help.

We are delighted you chose to train with us Katrina.

𝐼𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢, 𝑜𝑟 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑𝑠 𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡, 𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡𝑜:

𝐿𝑖𝑓𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒 24/7 𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑢𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 - 13 11 14

𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝐵𝑦 - 𝑃𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑝𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑟 𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑠𝑢𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑑𝑒 - 1300 727 247

𝑆𝑢𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝐶𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝑆𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑐𝑒 - 24/7 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑠𝑢𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑑𝑒 - 1300 659 467

𝑇𝑟𝑖𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑍𝑒𝑟𝑜 - c𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑖𝑛 𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦/𝑖𝑓 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑑𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟 - 000

26/05/2025

Come one, come all! Our recent group of participants for Applied Su***de Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) travelled from a ways away, with some joining us from up in Tin Can Bay and others from down in Caboolture.

Now, these 23 people can take the skills learnt in life-assisting su***de intervention training and apply it to their local communities. As beacons of hope and support, these participants are helping create a bigger safety net for those in critical need.

Over two days, this wonderful group of people from all different walks of life, including local charities, community groups, youth services, drug and alcohol support, and disability services, learned the PAL (pathways for assisting life) model, which helps guide a person towards safety.

Thank you to those who attended the training, in doing so you are supporting a su***de safer community.

21/05/2025

When you work out your body, you work out your brain. The power of exercise extends far beyond building muscles or fitness. In this webinar recording, you’ll discover how moving your body has a myriad of positive effects for your mind, mood and mental health.

This webinar covers:
- The many motivating benefits of exercise for your brain - for now and the future
- How movement can promote neurogenesis (the growth of new cells) in important regions of your brain
- The rapid effects that movement can have on mood and mental focus
- The importance of exercise across the lifespan for healthy ageing
- Evidence-based movement recommendations for busy people (with practical tips to get started)
- And as always, an appreciation for how amazing your brain and body truly are!

This is a 'Brain Science for Wellbeing' webinar, brought to you by UniSC's Thompson Institute

14/05/2025

Discover how stress and anxiety is linked to our brain and body – in helpful and less helpful ways. This webinar recording will leave you armed with practical tips for managing stress.

14/03/2025

This , our Let's Yarn About Sleep colleagues have launched an animated series to promote sleep health awareness in First Nations communities.

Created in collaboration with Mount Isa community members, this first video in the series explains why we sleep and shares insights on what influences our sleep.

Let’s Yarn About Sleep co-creates culturally responsive programs and resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and health professionals.

Quality sleep is fundamental to mental health, and positively influences almost all aspects of health and life, which is why Let’s Yarn About Sleep and its collaboration with Indigenous communities is so important.

We hope this video inspires you to prioritise sleep as your gift that readies you for the day ahead and nurtures your long-term health.

What makes you sleepy? Understanding sleep pressure and the body clock. Let's Yarn About Sleep, sleep health experts and community members from Kalkadoon Cou...

03/03/2025

Being prepared for a cyclone threat not only increases your safety - it helps you cope better mentally too.

For preparation advice visit:

✅ Get Ready Queensland: https://www.getready.qld.gov.au/
✅ Sunshine Coast Council Disaster Hub: https://disasterhub.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/
✅ Noosa Shire Council Disaster Dashboard: https://disaster.noosa.qld.gov.au/
✅ Gympie Regional Council Disaster Dashboard: https://disaster.gympie.qld.gov.au/

If you are experiencing feelings of stress, the 'physiological sigh' can be an effective way of restoring calm so you can think clearly. We take you through the exercise in this 1-minute video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd3zmZlLm_0&t=9s

Lastly, we cope better as a community if we're in it together. If you can, please check on your neighbours and people you know may be vulnerable, such as people who are elderly or live with a disability, or whose first language isn't English.

03/01/2025

We're proud of what we achieved last year, with your support. More than 4500 people attended our su***de prevention and mental health awareness training and events. It is encouraging that so many people want to better support others and proactively care for their own mental health.

Our first events of 2025 can be viewed here: https://www.thealliance.org.au/events/

23/12/2024

Not everyone can celebrate with family this Christmas. Consider reaching out to someone who might be alone and check on friends who have recently separated.

If you don't have plans this Christmas Day, there are wonderful free community events you can join:

NOOSAVILLE: Noosa Xmas Lunch, 6 Barlett Street, from 11.30am. RSVP here: www.bit.ly/NoosaXmasLunch2024

NAMBOUR: Free Community Christmas Lunch at Nambour Community Centre at 12pm.

MALENY: Community Christmas Breakfast 8-10am at the Maleny Neighbourhood Centre

CALOUNDRA: Free breakfast and connection 7am-10am Happy Valley Park, Bulcock Beach. More info:
Christmas Beach Breakfast - Community Outreach

The holiday season isn't always easy. If you need support during this period, please call:
Lifeline 13 11 14
Parentline 1300 301 300
DV Connect 1800 811 811
Sunshine Coast Homeless Outreach Team 0456 896 021

05/12/2024

2024 comes to a close with our final safeYARN.

These attendees really enjoyed the role-play opportunities to practice the skills being discussed in the training.

Sunshine Coast organisations working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can attend this free training to learn more about how to have a yarn about su***de in a culturally appropriate way.

We had a variety of professionals join us from the health and social services sector to aged care, emergency services, recruitment, the justice department, students, and mental health services. Thanks for training with us.

We'll be safeYARN'ing again in 2025!