Living Beyond Suicide

1. Project Profile

Project Name(s)	Living Beyond Suicide
Funded Organisation	Anglicare SA Inc
Geographical Area	State-wide
State/Territory	South Australia
Approach(es)	Selected
Individual/Group	Individual and Group
LIFE Action Areas	Building individual resilience and the capacity for self-help Improving community strength, resilience and capacity in suicide prevention
Target Groups	People bereaved by suicide

2. Project Description

The aim of Anglicare's Living Beyond Suicide program is to provide a centralised location where anyone in South Australia who is bereaved through suicide can find help and support.

Living Beyond Suicide contributes to suicide prevention by developing and providing high quality early postvention support. This is achieved through strengthening the resilience of individuals, families and communities intimately affected by suicide, potentially limiting the serious, long-term negative consequences for those who live through the losses caused by suicide.

Anglicare SA has created a program structure that incorporates the passion and expertise of volunteers in the provision of face-to-face support for persons bereaved through suicide. This enables Living Beyond Suicide to provide the service state-wide, whilst fostering a healthy attitude in the community towards volunteering and supporting families bereaved through suicide.

3. Activities

Key activities of the Living Beyond Suicide (LBS) are:

• Attending the homes of those bereaved through suicide in the hours and days after the suicide event. This visit aims to support families practically and sensitively. Some examples of this support is listed below:
  • Providing a safe and compassionate environment
  • Educating families on loss and grief
  • Assist families in navigating the pathways to care
• Maintaining contact with clients through the crucial first weeks and months after the suicide event, but also provide assistance to families on an ongoing basis
• Implementing creative writing workshops for those bereaved through suicide. These workshops provide a safe environment, social connectedness, and an atmosphere of hope for those who are grieving
• Visiting workplaces where an employee has suicided. These visits are an opportunity for colleagues and managers to openly discuss the death and how they, as a community, are coping. Resources are provided to managers and home visits can be organised for colleagues who have expressed an interest
• Conducting community awareness training for both professionals and members of the community. These training opportunities aim to reduce stigma, and increase the community’s capacity to support itself
• Coordinating an annual community event in November called Walk through the Darkness. This event is publicised widely and allows all affected by suicide to come together and walk in memory of those they have lost. The event aims to reduce the stigma of suicide in the community whilst providing a safe place for members of the community to openly grieve and express themselves
• Maintaining strong links with other agencies such as South Australia Police and the Coroner’s Court. LBS has developed and maintained strong linkages with the Bereaved Through Suicide (BTS) support group and Minimisation of Suicide Harm (MOSH) a prevention and postvention organisation. These links help LBS to assist families bereaved through suicide navigate the pathways to care
• Maintaining a directory of services that lists counsellors, financial supports, legal services, and many other service types Top of page

4. Funding

• Round 1
  • NSPP funding
    • 2006/07 - $118,617
    • 2007/08 - $111,780
    • 2008/09 - $114,603
  • % project funding - 100%
• Round 2
  • NSPP funding
    • 2009/10 - $161,952
    • 2010/11 - $152,328
  • % project funding - 100%
• Round 3
  • NSPP funding
    • 2011/12 - $159,969
    • 2012/13 - $162,848
  • % project funding - 100%

5. Staffing

• Round 1 (2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09)
  • Number staff positions funded (FTE) - 1.6
  • Number staff positions filled (FTE) - 2
• Round 2 (2009/10, 2010/11)
  • Number staff positions funded (FTE) - 1.6
  • Number staff positions filled (FTE) - 2
• Round 3 (2011/12, 2012/13)
  • Number staff positions funded (FTE) - 1.6
  • Number staff positions filled (FTE) - 2