Connect, reach out, and Heal Our Way – suicide prevention campaign launches

Heal Our Way is a NSW Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Campaign funded by the NSW Ministry of Health under Towards Zero Suicides (TZS) initiatives.

The campaign, led by Cox Inall Ridgeway in partnership with Aboriginal communities in NSW, aims to encourage help seeking from community by equipping them with the skills to have safe conversations around suicide.

Heal Our Way recognises that cultural identity, belonging and connectedness are central to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ wellbeing and are protective factors that help in managing life stressors.

Dr Summer May Finlay, a Yorta Yorta woman and lecturer at the University of Wollongong, attended a launch of the campaign in Dubbo this week, where she co-facilitated a panel discussion, together with Andy Saunders, while also tweeting the news.

Summer May Finlay tweets:

See the case study videos (note the safety caution before viewing)

Access the stakeholder kit here. See the Guide to Safe Conversations. The photos below are published courtesy of Shayne Connell, CEO of LivingWorks Australia.

Finding help

Dr Summer May Finlay is also speaking on a webinar on youth suicide prevention hosted by Orygen from 11am AEST on 28 July. More details are here.

See Croakey’s archive of articles on suicide prevention and research