Communities play a crucial role in suicide prevention. World Suicide Prevention Day helps create greater awareness of suicide and suicide prevention, change the way suicide is understood and discussed in the community, and connects people to support services.
The impacts of suicide are immediate, far-reaching and long-lasting. They are felt by families, friends, work colleagues and the broader community.
World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) is an international awareness day observed on 10 September each year to provide a focus for commitment and action to prevent suicide.
The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) collaborates with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Federation for Mental Health to host World Suicide Prevention Day.
Engaging community in suicide prevention
While not all suicides are preventable, increasing individual and community capacity and resilience, and supporting individuals and communities at risk to seek and receive help can reduce the number of people taking their lives.
For community organisations and individuals committed to preventing suicide, it is important to ensure that discussions involving the community are safe and based on accurate information.
The Commission has partnered with several non-government suicide prevention organisations to guide WSPD community awareness activities, including Lifeline, Standby Response Service, Mates in Construction, Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention , Roses in the Ocean, Queensland Health and Suicide Prevention Australia.
Organising a safe and successful WSPD event
Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention (AISRAP) and not-for-profit suicide prevention organisation Roses in the Ocean worked with the Commission to provide appropriate resources to organise a safe community event.
The World Suicide Prevention Day Awareness Event Host Guide outlines the planning and preparation, readiness and capacity required to host a suicide prevention awareness event.
WSPD resources
- Awareness Event Host Guide
- Suicide Prevention Australia Guide to Self-Care
- Conversations Matter When holding group discussions about suicide prevention
- Conversations Matter To those bereaved by suicide
- Conversations Matter When communities are affected by suicide
- Conversations Matter When someone is thinking about suicide
- Roses in the Ocean Event Host Kit
