The LiFE Awards (Living is for Everyone) are designed to acknowledge the extraordinary work being done throughout the country in suicide prevention and showcase dedication, innovation and leadership.
The ambition of Suicide Prevention Australia is to celebrate and amplify initiatives that are breaking new ground so that others can learn and embed best-practice suicide prevention solutions across their communities. The LiFE Awards are a vehicle for highlighting best practice across the sector so that everyone can learn from them and be able to introduce new suicide prevention solutions into their own communities.
On Thursday, 7 March 2024 Suicide Prevention Australia hosted the ACT LiFE Award at the Ainslie Football Club. The evening showcased the important work being done in the ACT by individuals and organisations to prevent suicide and support those in need.
The evening was led by the ACT State Committee Chair, Emily Brown who alongside Suicide Prevention Australia employees Branka Zugnoni and Leesa Mountford announced the following recipients:
Communities in Action Award: Taylor Brown, I Got You Limited
I Got You Limited was born after Taylor lost her big brother, Josh who was a mental health advocate himself. Through fundraisers, over $70,000 was raised for the OzHelp Foundation. Now a not-for-profit, I Got You Limited is helping fund tradesmen and apprentices who are doing it tough. I Got You Limited is funding tools and courses to help get people back on their feet, in a time of need.
Outstanding Contribution Award: LewChing Yip
LewChing escaped from Singapore, arriving in Australia aged 19. Her journey began in university, particularly for international students who were not receiving mental health support. At the time, 99% of all completed suicides on campus were international students not receiving support.
She has worked in advocacy on state and national level in suicide prevention, child and family safety, and culturally inclusive practice. Her past roles have been with Headspace, and Women with Disabilities ACT as the only young woman of colour.
Currently she has a number of roles: case practitioner with Domestic Violence Crisis Services ACT, peer worker with Stride Mental health; CALD representative on a number of forums including National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum, Ministerial Advisory Council for Multiculturalism, ACT Suicide Prevention Community Collaborative.
Priority Populations Award: Life Skills Toolbox, OzHelp Foundation
Apprentices in the building and construction industry experience suicidal ideation, workplace bullying and psychological distress at rates higher than the general Australian population. In response, OzHelp developed the Life Skills Toolbox – a health and wellbeing program to support apprentices in the building and construction industries. It assists participants to identify resources and build skills to navigate life’s challenges, while also addressing multiple psychosocial risk factors for suicide. The Life Skills Toolbox contains six 3-hour face-to-face modules in the first two years of an apprenticeship. Addressing apprentice health and wellbeing aligns with OzHelp’s mission of “Transforming the mental health and wellbeing of workers in high-risk, hard-to-reach industries”
Best Practice in Workplace Award: SafeSide Project, Department of Defence Mental Health & Wellbeing Branch
The SafeSide Project encompasses workforce education; a culture of safety and prevention; best practice, policies and pathways with the objectives of improving suicide literacy for all Defence personnel and adopting a collaborative member-centred safety and contingency planning rather than risk prediction.
The training strengthens understanding protective factors and models supporting someone in suicidal distress. This project is being delivered to over 80,000 Defence personnel. It aligns Defence practices with those implemented by Open Arms – Veterans and Families Counselling (Open Arms), who implemented the SafeSide’s Framework in 2019. Training showcases best-practice for clinicians, Commanders, chaplains and peers and how family and lived experience personnel can be included.
Suicide Prevention Australia would like to thank all those who submitted a nomination for the awards. We recognise that through our collective efforts, we are stronger together in preventing suicide.
Recipients of the ACT State LiFE Award automatically progress into the running of the National LiFE Award which will be held during the 25th National Suicide Prevention Conference, 30 April to 2 May 2024 in Adelaide, South Australia.
For more information about the LiFE Awards, click here.
