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Welcome to the April edition of the TSPCN news!
In this issue:
- Network Update
- Have Your Say
- Member News
- Events, Opportunities & Training
- Grant Opportunities
- Resources & Support
It has been a productive start to 2025 both nationally and closer to home.
The release of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy marks a significant milestone for suicide prevention in Australia. The strategy represents significant work by the sector over a number of years. The Government and the National Suicide Prevention Office are to be commended for making this a reality. I also want to recognise the contribution of Suicide Prevention Australia as strong advocates for the strategy.
Locally we recently held the Tasmanian LiFE Awards and Suicide Prevention forum. It was great to be able to catch up with many of you across the two events.
I look forward to the LiFE Awards every year, but this year’s awards marked the 20th Anniversary of the Awards in Tasmania. The LiFE Awards were first initiated by Suicide Prevention Australian in 2004 to recognise the vitally important work being done to prevent suicide. RA Tas has run the Awards since 2013 receiving more than 200 nominations in that time. This year was another truly inspiring evening recognising the fantastic work that occurs in Suicide Prevention across our state. Congratulations to Award recipients and nominees.
Our annual Suicide Prevention Forum was exceptionally well attended, and we had a great line up of speakers throughout the day. I value the contribution of lived and living experience and I want to thank Callan Hume and Tanya Stephenson for their courage, honesty and willingness to share their experiences with us in the acknowledgements of lived and living experience.
I hope you enjoy this edition of our Newsletter.
Michael,
Tasmanian Suicide Prevention Community Network Chair
Please join us for the next Tasmanian Suicide Prevention Community Network (TSPCN) meeting! The TSPCN meeting will be held online from 12pm-1:30pm on Tuesday 27 May. Bring your lunch along and eat with us. Everyone is welcome.
We’re delighted to have some great guest speakers joining us at the meeting:
Dr David Horgan will chat to us about the 'What to Say, Prevent a Suicide' app and how it’s making a difference.
Lee Whiteley from Rural Alive and Well (RAW) will share some updates on the great work they’re doing around Tassie.
The Department of Health team will give us an update on what they’ve been working on lately.
We’re also excited to have a few of the recent LiFE Awards winners dropping in to tell us what they’ve been working on!
We hope to have you join us!
Interested in what was discussed at the previous meeting in Devonport? You can read previous meeting minutes on the Suicide Prevention Tas website.
This year we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Tasmanian LiFE Awards, recognising the valuable contributions of individuals, organisations, and communities to suicide prevention across the state.
With 28 nominations received from across Tasmania, the ceremony - held at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Launceston on the 12 March - showcased a diverse range of impactful initiatives, from grassroots projects to established support services, all making a real difference in people’s lives.
The ceremony celebrated the great work of nominees and winners, and brought people together to show appreciation for their efforts. It was a special event that showed the ongoing commitment and positive efforts of Tasmanians.
We’re pleased to share the winners from each category:
🌟 Best Practice in a Workplace - Skretting Australia
🌟 Communities in Action - The Lounge (New Mornings)
🌟 Innovative Practice and Research - A Tasmanian Lifeline
🌟 Outstanding Contribution to Suicide Prevention - Kylie Delaney
🌟 Priority Populations Contribution to Suicide Prevention (joint winners)
- Men's Resources Tasmania Building Pathways
- Home Base Housing and Accommodation Support Initiative
This year’s recipients and nominees are a powerful reminder that we all have a role to play in suicide prevention. By supporting others to feel seen, heard and valued, and by helping to connect people with the support they need, we can continue to make a real and lasting positive impact.
Start thinking about your nominations for the 21st LiFE Awards as it will come around again quickly.
This year’s annual Suicide Prevention Forum, themed “We All Have a Role to Play,” was held on Thursday 13 March at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Launceston. The theme reflected the importance of collective action, highlighting that everyone—no matter their role—can contribute to suicide prevention in Tasmania. The forum brought together workplaces, service providers, community members, government representatives, and people with lived experience to explore shared solutions and support stronger, more connected communities.
The day began with a powerful Welcome to Country by Daisy Allen, followed by a heartfelt Lived Experience Address from Tanya Stephenson. Attendees heard from an inspiring lineup of speakers, including Nathan Bolton, Professor Dinesh Arya, Greg Smith, Jodhi Gough, and the Mental Health Council of Tasmania. In the afternoon, participants joined a range of engaging workshops hosted by Lifeline, Everymind, and Relationships Australia Tasmania. The forum offered practical tools, fresh insights, and valuable opportunities to connect, share, and reflect on how we can all play a role in suicide prevention.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to such a meaningful day. We’d love to hear your thoughts on what you’d like to see at the 2026 Suicide Prevention Forum - you can share your ideas below in the ‘Have your say’ section or by emailing us directly.
Congratulations to the following groups for recently creating and launching their Community Action Plans:
- Source Eco Hub
- Albie House NW
- Skretting Australia
- Hybrid Training Centre
- Exhale Community Choir
- Chiya Guff Run Club
- Auslan After Dark
- The National Association of Women in Construction Tasmania
Well done to each of you! We’re looking forward to seeing the positive impact these plans will have in the coming months.
Interested in how a Community Action Plan could benefit your group, workplace, sporting club, or community? Click the button below to learn more!
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Newsletters are sent out quarterly. To include something in our winter edition have your information to us by 3 July 2025.
Men Care Too North West Mates Collective is a community in action led solely by volunteers with the aim to create a relaxed, informal space where men can look out for each other.
Whether it’s a walk and talk, a chat over coffee or a feed at a BBQ, the collective provides opportunities for men of all ages to gather and share stories, find support, and create lasting friendships.
Go to www.facebook.com/MCTNorthWestMates and like the page for regular updates and info.
Introduction to Moral Injury - Focus on Healthcare Workers
The Mental Health Council of Tasmania is hosting a free online webinar on 13 May 2025. Presented by Dean Yates, Policy & Advocacy Lead at the Mental Health Council of Tasmania and author of Line in the Sand.
Ageing is a time of possibility, opportunity, and influence, and Seniors Week (13-19 October) is a time to come together, share, learn, connect, develop skills, and importantly – have fun and try new things.
Register your Seniors Week 2025 event or activity by 7 July 2025.
Shorts Day
As the weather gets cooler and the days get shorter, we are reminded that it can be uncomfortable to be a little cold – as it can be sometimes, to talk about mental health.
Shorts Day was created by SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY to bring the community together to brave the cold and brave the conversation. On Friday, 20 June, we will wear shorts or Shorts Day merch to work, school, sporting clubs and out and about, to prompt conversations around mental health in our community.
The Stay ChatTY team knows that starting that chat isn’t always easy. So, they asked: what do Aussies want to know about mental health?
And the answer was simple: why is mental health important?
Last year, over 22,400 people participated in Shorts Day. This year, they hope many more will join the conversation, and share why mental health matters to them. So, grab your favourite pair of colourful shorts, start the chat, and help them make this year the biggest Shorts Day yet!
Head to www.shortsday.com.au to register and receive your free rego pack.
The purpose of the 2025 Suicide Prevention Summit is to equip helping professionals with evidence-based, culturally-informed strategies, insights, and clinical tools for identifying and managing suicide risk. To achieve that, we’ve assembled 17 leading experts in mental health & suicide prevention into one online specialised Summit. And you can learn for free.
The 2025 Suicide Prevention Summit will be delivered via 15 live webinar sessions from Friday 16th to Sunday 18th of May, and will continue as an on-demand event (i.e. you can watch recordings of live webinars) until Sunday, 27th of July.
The Minds Do Matter exhibition is back for 2025 to promote creative conversations about mental health and well-being. The theme for this year is EMPOWER: Appreciate the little things. Entry to Minds Do Matter is open to all ages and abilities and acceptance into the exhibition is non-competitive.
Minds Do Matter exhibitions will be held later in the year at RANT Arts in Devonport, QVMAG in Launceston, and Rosny Schoolhouse Gallery in Hobart.
2025 Rural Mental Health Conference
Wednesday 5 November - Friday 7 November 2025 | Hobart
Rural Mental Health for the Future: Innovations, Collaboration, and Inclusive Approaches.
This year the national conference will be held in Hobart. Gather, learn, conceptualise and strategise together on what needs to happen now and in the future to see continuous positive growth in the services and outcomes for mental health in rural and remote areas.
The National Suicide Prevention Strategy has been released. It brings together first-hand evidence provided by people with lived and living experience of suicide, the latest research, and recommendations from existing inquiries and reports.
This Strategy aims to unify the efforts of governments, communities, and service providers to improve suicide prevention outcomes in Australia.
Research article by Life in Mind
Suicide, self-harm and online safety for young people
The researchers of this study aimed to understand views and perceived challenges of young people communicating about suicide and self-harm on social media, and what governments and social media companies can do to keep young people safe online.
Supporting Young People
ReachOut have a range of resources available for those working with young people and in schools. Including: engaging activities for students, credible and flexible resources for teachers, and practical support for parents and carers.
Men's Health Week 9-15 June 2025
International Men's Health Week is celebrated every year around the world in the middle of June. It is an opportunity to highlight the importance of men's health, and to promote and support the health and wellbeing of men and boys in our communities.
The week encourages conversations about physical, mental, and emotional health, aiming to support men in living healthier, longer lives.
The Australian Men’s Health Forum provides free resources to help you get involved and share important “Know Your Man” facts.
Free Mindfulness Courses hosted by: Mindfulness Programs Australasia
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction:
Develop skills in identifying early signs of stress.
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy:
A targeted focus on depression, and prevention of further episodes.
Mind Your Self:
Build emotional literacy for Tasmanian adults who may be experiencing stress.
Courses are held online and in person. Dates, locations and waitlists via the link below.
CORES run a variety of training workshops for community members and organisations.
Self-Care and Mental Wellbeing Workshop
This two-hour workshop provides participants with the skills and resources to develop an individualised self-care and mental wellbeing plan that encompasses activities to enhance physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual health on a daily basis.
CORES Suicide Prevention Training
This full day training is designed to provide individuals and communities with the essential skills and resources required to identify and respond to a person at risk of suicide and build on a community's capacity to eliminate suicide.
Providing an Inclusive Practice and Community for LGBTIQA+ People
This day training supports participants to understand the different LGBTIQA+ pronouns, the importance of inclusive language, the challenges and discrimination faced by each of the groups, and to identify how their service or community can become an LGBTIQA+ ally.
Understanding Mental Wellbeing for Effective Communication Training
This practical training is designed to provide individuals with the essential knowledge, skills and resources required to recognise factors that impact mental wellbeing and communication and develop strategies to support effective communication. *Check out the introductory offer being offered in Sheffield.
The LEx Training Hub provides training pathways for people with lived experience of mental health issues, suicide, or alcohol and other drugs use, educating and empowering them to effectively apply their unique expertise to support others through their own treatment or recovery journeys.
In addition to upskilling Lived Experience Workers, the LEx Hub will also provide training to help organisations improve their systems, supports and workplace culture to better understand, value and support Lived Experience roles.
A variety of courses are available, with dates set for the upcoming quarter.
Lifeline Training
The Lifeline Tasmania Training and Support team offers statewide community workshops. Training topics include:
MyState Foundation Grants Program
The MyState Foundation grants program supports not-for-profit organisations that work towards empowering the youth of Tasmania. Each year, they grant between $1,000 and $10,000 to eligible organisations.
Applications close 2 May 2025.
QANTAS Regional Grants
The Qantas Regional Grants program is back, offering $2 million in support to Australian-based communities and projects that are looking to benefit our country's regional areas.
Applications close 10 May 2025
The Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPAC) emails a list of grant opportunities available to the community sector regularly. To get on their email distribution list contact grants@dpac.tas.gov.au. You can also check out some of the grants available on their website.
The Department of State Growth lists and offers grants and loans to community groups, businesses and individuals to assist in professional and sector development in Tasmania.
Healthy Tas Grants
The Healthy Tasmania Fund is a grants program for health and wellbeing in Tasmania. The Fund supports the work of local government and community organisations that are well placed to know their community needs and priorities.
Philanthropy Australia
Philanthropy Australia has a list on their website of useful resources and a list of organisations that may be able to help fund your project.
Council grants
Local councils each provide community grant schemes to support community groups and local activities. See these listed on individual local Council websites.
We acknowledge the individual and collective contributions of those with a lived and living experience of mental ill-health and suicide, and those who love, have loved and care for them.
The Tasmanian Suicide Prevention Community Network acknowledges that we live and work on Aboriginal land, land of the palawa/pakana people of lutruwita (Tasmania). We pay respect to Elders past and present. We honour all those who continue caring for country, sharing stories, and upholding rights.
Here for all Tasmanians
