Evaluation of suicide prevention activities

HOPE - SRA

Page last updated: January 2014

1. Project Profile

Project Name(s)HOPE – Shared Responsibility Agreement (SRA)
Funded OrganisationMildura Aboriginal Corporation
Geographical AreaLocal
State/TerritoryVictoria and New South Wales
Approach(es)Selected and Indicated
Individual/GroupIndividual and Group
LIFE Action Areas
  • Improving the evidence base and understanding of suicide prevention
  • Building individual resilience and the capacity for self-help
  • Improving community strength, resilience and capacity in suicide prevention
  • Taking a coordinated approach to suicide prevention
  • Providing targeted suicide prevention activities
  • Implementing standards and quality in suicide prevention
Target Groups
  • People bereaved by suicide
  • Men
  • Children
  • Youth
  • Indigenous populations
  • People living with a mental illness
  • People who have previously attempted suicide
  • People who have self harmed
  • Rural and remote communities
  • Older people
  • People living with an alcohol or other drug problem
  • Whole of community
  • Workforce
  • Other

2. Project Description

The Mildura Aboriginal Corporation is funded under the NSPP to provide the HOPE/Shared Responsibility Agreement (SRA) project. The HOPE/SRA project is a collective of early intervention based strategies designed to highlight the Social and Emotional Wellbeing aspects which may impact upon the mental health of young Aboriginal children (aged 9-14 years) in the Mildura and Robinvale regions in the North West of Victoria, with a view of assisting in the decline and prevention of suicide across cohort grouping in a culturally sensitive manner.

The project provides four levels of intervention:

  1. Provision of Cultural Awareness and Mental Health Promotion Program delivery (based upon the Mind Matters Model; Protective Behaviours Model and H.O.P.E Project Nutrition and Wellbeing Project) to improve the emotional and social wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children attending the 6 targeted primary schools, including school holiday activities for a smaller number of children (approximately 20-25 at high risk) and their families
  2. Advocacy, counselling and psychological support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with pre existing social and emotional wellbeing and behavioural issues that may impact upon a child's and families promotion and access to educative learnings across cohort grouping
  3. A parent education program (based upon the lines of the Indigenous Positive Parenting Program, Triple P) to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents from the region to improve upon their parenting skills thus resulting in a positive manner upon the social and emotional wellbeing of their child/children and
  4. Education and training about mental health and the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children for project staff, staff from other health and welfare services and the wider community in the region, in an effort to promote resilience and connectedness to community and culture.

3. Activities

  • Engaging school children from years 5/6 and their families, carers and significant others within a project that enhances the social and emotional wellbeing of all involved
  • Implementing and providing access to a healthy nutrition and well being based program
  • Implementing and providing access to sessions in protective behaviours, sexual and reproductive health
  • Enhancing the overall beliefs, values and cultural confidence of all participants within the project and wider community
  • Increasing and improving the access to: information, resources and services to aid in the early years intervention, detection and prevention of suicide/s in line with national standards and guidelines
  • Where applicable, providing avenues for participants, families, carers and significant others to culturally sensitive counselling practices, in areas pertaining to overall health i.e. dual diagnosis, learning difficulties and grief, loss and adjustment
  • Participating in significant community cultural events i.e. community/art based projects, thus providing a platform to exchange and show case one's rich Indigenous culture in a positive manner Top of page

4. Funding

  • Round 1
    • NSPP funding
      • 2006/07 - not applicable
      • 2007/08 - not applicable
      • 2008/09 - $143,636
    • % project funding - not applicable
  • Round 2
    • NSPP funding
      • 2009/10 - $147,371
      • 2010/11 - $192,676
    • % project funding - data not provided
  • Round 3
    • NSPP funding
      • 2011/12 - $198,008
      • 2012/13 - $201,572
    • % project funding - data not provided

5. Staffing

  • Round 1 (2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09)
    • Number staff positions funded (FTE) - not applicable
    • Number staff positions filled (FTE) - not applicable
  • Round 2 (2009/10, 2010/11)
    • Number staff positions funded (FTE) - 2
    • Number staff positions filled (FTE) - 1.5
  • Round 3 (2011/12, 2012/13)
    • Number staff positions funded (FTE) - 2
    • Number staff positions filled (FTE) - 1.5