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 Monday 24 March 2024, Suicide Prevention Australia hosted the Western Australia LiFE Awards at the ANZAC Club, in Georges Terrace, Perth. The evening showcased the important work being done in Western Australia by individuals and organisations to prevent suicide and support those in need.
The evening was led by Western Australia State Committee Chair, Jo Drayton, who alongside Suicide Prevention Australia Chief Executive Nieves Murray, announced the following recipients:
Communities in Action Award: Karri Ambler – StandBy Support After Suicide
In 2022, Karri Ambler, Manager of the StandBy Program in Western Australia established a partnership with the Deputy Commissioner of WA Police to discuss strategies that better support all communities bereaved or impacted by suicide. The MOU ensured that police officers attending incidences of suspected suicide would share the information with the StandBy service within 24 hours of notification; provide information to individuals and families bereaved by suspected suicide about the StandBy Support After Suicide program; and encourage new police recruits and officers to do StandBy induction through online sessions and regular training at the police academy in Perth.
Outstanding Contribution Award: MAN UP Initiative
The MAN UP Initiative targets early intervention of mental illness and suicide in school and university-aged young men. The two co-founders are Gareth and Haseeb. With a South Asian heritage and a private all-boys school education, Gareth once viewed mental illness as a weakness. Poor coping mechanisms and a lack of control over his emotions left him feeling frustrated and isolated, leading to self-harm and suicidal ideation. Haseeb also attended a private all-boys school. Haseeb developed behaviours, attitudes, and languages that devalued and discriminated against people of other cultures, genders, and sexualities. The MAN UP Initiative conducts workshops on Culture, Relationships, and Coping to promote vulnerable conversation and self-reflection. The peer-to-peer model enables young male facilitators to demonstrate these teachings firsthand, an aspect not used by any other masculinity education providers in Australia.
Priority Populations Award: DB Teen Program – Lifeline WA
The DBTeen Program helps teenagers manage emotions, improve relationships, and increase distress tolerance. The program is the most comprehensively researched treatment for suicide behaviour and is effective for several disorders characterised by emotion dysregulation and life threatening and self-defeating behaviours. Early intervention with adoIescents protects against full blossoming of the disorder and skiIls training protects the individual as it teaches the young person to regulate their emotions through effective coping strategies. In 2019, Lifeline WA developed the DBTeen program as prior to this skills training groups were only available to adults or through private clinics. It is the only program of its kind in Western Australia being delivered free of charge, making it accessible to the whole Perth community, regardless of their socio-economic status.
Innovative Practice and Research Award: Industrial Metaverse – Suicide Prevention Virtual Reality Experience
The suicide prevention voice activated, virtual reality experience, developed in collaboration with Moth + Flame and the United States Air Force, addresses the need to equip individuals with the skills to intervene effectively when someone is at risk. The objectives are to raise awareness and provide impactful solutions through virtual reality training. It fills a unique niche in the realm of suicide prevention training by leveraging technology to create positive, real-world outcomes and save lives. Although not entirely new, it represents a significant advancement in the field of suicide prevention training.
Best Practice in Workplace Award: Jamie Mallinder
After identifying critical psychosocial risks within a multinational hospitality company, Jamie Mallinder developed a comprehensive mental health strategy. Jamie analysed multiple suicides at a multinational hospitality firm where the existing support systems were inadequate, particularly for the 70% of casuals working without access to mental health resources. The pattern of guests exhibiting certain risk behaviors – checking in without luggage and alone, paying in cash, and seeking high floors highlighted a gap in proactive mental health screening and support. Jamie’s bespoke strategic plan and suicide risk screening tool were innovations tailored to the hospitality context and served as an immediate visual cue for staff to engage with guests showing potential signs of distress.
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 Western Australia State LiFE Awards automatically progress into the running of the National LiFE Awards 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.
