Suicide intervention and awareness training

Mossman High School staff to receive suicide intervention and awareness training

The Rotary Club of Mossman has generously donated $1,000 towards providing Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) and Suicide Alertness for Everyone (safeTALK) workshops for the staff of Mossman High School.

Mr Theo Schlub, President of the Mossman Rotary Club presented the cheque for $1,000 to Katie Cole, Coordinator of the Telephone Crisis Support Unit on Thursday 21 June at the UnitingCare Community office, 188 Aumuller Street, Bungalow.
Mr Schlub said, “We felt that it was our community responsibility to financially support the Uniting Care Lifeline training program in understanding and managing mental health issues which may affect some of the students at our local High School. It’s not often that ordinary people are in a position to help save lives, but with help from Australian Rotary Health they can do just that.”

This donation will cover the cost of training 30 people in the local Mossman area which will enable them to recognise when people are having thoughts of suicide, become more alert to prevention opportunities and offer the right sort of help that increases their safety.

“This training will make a significant impact in the local community by increasing the awareness around suicide issues and teaching ways to help those who are having suicidal thoughts,” Ms Cole said.

Katie has been running ASIST and safeTALK workshops for several years at UnitingCare Community.

Several hundred people have received training during this time from all walks of life including government organisations, social workers and people in the general community. The training has helped them when working with people at risk to increase their immediate safety and get further help.

The next ASIST two-day workshop is being held on October 8-9 at a cost of $220 per person and the next four-hour safeTALK workshop is being held on September 14 at a cost of $55 per person. Concession rates will apply for both workshops.

For further details of how you or your organisation can receive this training, please contact Katie on 4050 4955 or via email at: lifeline.fnq@uccommunity.org.au

Media Contact: Katie Cole – phone 4050 4955