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 LiFE Awards are designed 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. They aim to showcase the important work being done in states and territories across Australia by individuals and organisations to prevent suicide and support those in need.
On Monday, 3 March 2025 Suicide Prevention Australia hosted the VIC State LiFE Award at KPMG in Melbourne. The evening showcased the important work being done in Victoria by individuals and organisations to prevent suicide and support those in need.
The evening was led by VIC State Committee Chair, Alison Asche who, alongside Suicide Prevention Australia Board Chair, Graham McLean announced the following recipients:
Communities in Action Award: The Australian BPD Foundation
The Australian BPD Foundation was launched at the National BPD conference in 2013 by Allan Fels, A.O. Chair of National Mental Health Commission. The Foundation is a collaborative platform prioritising consumer and carer voices in a mental health space dominated by clinical perspectives and practices. It is a national not-for-profit organisation led and run by volunteers, promoting lived experience expertise through its activities primarily its monthly eBulletin, national training, and political advocacy.
Innovative Practice and Research Award: Regional Outcome Review Initiative (RORI)
The Regional Outcome Review Initiative (RORI) is an innovative collaboration between suicide prevention, mental health and alcohol and other drugs services in Northeast and Eastern Melbourne. An exemplary model of partnership, addressing complex challenges through sharing learnings from incident reviews, enhancing clinical governance, preventing harm and enabling sustainable improvements in system-wide care.
Outstanding Contribution Award: Anna Bernasochi
As the Suicide Prevention Manager at Switchboard Victoria, Anna Bernasochi has established herself as a transformative leader within the national suicide prevention sector, reimagining what it means to centre LGBTIQA+ lived experience in suicide prevention responses. Anna established Australia’s first LGBTIQA+ suicide bereavement support service and national LGBTIQA+ Lived Experience Network, authored Switchboard’s LGBTIQA+ Suicide Postvention Response Plan, led the development of the online resource hub CHARLEE, conducted trailblazing research into LGBTIQA+SB experiences of suicidal distress, and created Changing the Landscape, a national campaign bringing the voices of LGBTIQA+ community members to the suicide prevention sector to create systems change.
Priority Populations Award: Men in Mind Professional Development Program
Development and implementation of Men in Mind was led by Dr. Zac Seidler and Movember and product manager Rachael Vogel. Dr. Seidler has dedicated his academic and professional career to understanding men’s mental health and masculinity, with the ultimate goal of reducing the high rates of male suicide and domestic violence worldwide. Leading the team at Movember, Dr. Seidler advocates for a paradigm shift in how we address men’s distress. He has uniquely focused on developing mental health services that consider the nuances of masculinity.
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.
We would also like to extend a special thank you to our pro bono partner, KPMG who hosted the event at their Melbourne offices, we greatly value their support.
Recipients of the Victoria State LiFE Award automatically progress into the running of the National LiFE Award which will be held during the National Suicide Prevention Conference in Perth on Wednesday, 21 May.
For more information about the LiFE Awards, click here.
