Wesley MISSION

We are a trusted leader in this field, having established Lifeline in 1963 and the Suicide Prevention Program in 1995. Through Wesley LifeForce Suicide Prevention Training, the emphasis is on building a network of gatekeepers who can support those in a crisis and ensure they are kept safe.

Wesley LifeForce has developed the program over the past 25 years and through extensive evaluations from the Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, have been shown to be effective and have a positive impact on the community. The nature of the Wesley LifeForce program is unique in the Australian suicide prevention sector in that it comprises a vast network of local community grassroots initiatives alongside a nationally recognised training program in Suicide Prevention and Mental Health. Wesley LifeForce is supportive of whole-of-community approach to suicide prevention.

The Wesley LifeForce Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Resilience Project has received $22,000 in funding from The Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR), in partnership with Suncorp and GIO, through the Rebuilding Futures program aimed at local not-for-profits to support recovery initiatives in rural communities in New South Wales impacted by the floods in February and March 2022.

The Wesley LifeForce Project will be active in Coffs Harbour delivering community-based mental health training. The Wesley LifeForce Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Resilience Project is an evidenced-based program educating and equipping communities to help prevent suicide, have greater resilience, increase capability, knowledge, and awareness to identify risk factors and take appropriate action.

Recent floods in the NSW Northern Rivers area impacted the area significantly and these trainings will support people in need of building skills to support themselves and others to endure the challenges facing the Coffs Harbour area after the floods.

The Wesley LifeForce Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Resilience Project will support communities in the Coffs Harbour LGA towards recovery from the loss and trauma sustained from the recent floods by delivering relevant and community-focused mental health and suicide prevention training to upskill community members to build resilience and support people most at risk of suicide.

There will be a total of four trainings delivered to the community – two suicide prevention trainings and two building resilience workshops. The suicide prevention workshop is a full day (6 hours) and the building resilience workshop is 2 sessions of 2 hours each duration.

This training will be open to everyone in the community and will not require any prior mental health or health education. The training provided by Wesley LifeForce is suitable for community members, teachers, youth workers, social workers, doctors, parents, sports coaches, police, emergency workers, concerned family and friends, financial counsellors and others.

Suicide Prevention:

Wesley LifeForce has developed a quality suicide prevention training suite. Our Suicide Prevention Workshops are designed to teach people how to identify the signs that someone may be at risk of suicide and appropriate action to take. Effective interventions can make a real difference and save lives. All Wesley LifeForce Facilitators are accredited trainers and have completed suicide intervention training.

Building Resilience:

Personal resilience is an important protective factor against suicide; it protects people at risk of suicide and enables people to better assist those at risk of suicide. This project will help members of the community understand and improve their personal mental health and resilience. Participants will learn how to modify their lifestyle and cultivate cognitive strategies to enhance their resilience and mental health. Through relevant topics and group discussions, each participant in this workshop will have the opportunity to reflect on their personal management of their mental health.

Community members and organisations working with the community are encouraged to engage with the workshops. In addition, we will work with our Wesley Mission Aftercare Service, supporting people who have had thoughts of suicide or consider themselves at risk. The service provides up to 14 weeks of care, the option of a support group and connections with flexible community-based support services to improve wellbeing.

We regularly offer trainings in the Mid North Coast and across NSW and Australia. If you would like to stay informed about Suicide Prevention and Resilience Trainings in this area please email lifeforce@wesleymission.org.au or call 1800 100 024, advising of your location and interest so that you can be invited to future events.