Tasmanian LiFE Awards – 2025 Nominee
Communities in Action for Suicide Prevention LiFE Award
The Communities in Action for Suicide Prevention LiFE Award acknowledges the crucial role that communities play in identifying and taking action towards suicide prevention. This award recognises any group or community, whether it’s a sports club, community group, or a hobby group, that works together to prevent suicide. This may involve developing a local plan for mental wellbeing and suicide prevention or organising activities that bring the community together to facilitate social connection and provide opportunities to discuss mental health and suicide prevention.
Proudly sponsored by Lifeline Tasmania
Spring Bay Suicide Prevention Network Inc
The Spring Bay Suicide Prevention Network (SBSPN) developed the ABC of community—awareness, belonging, connection—to help local people and businesses recognise, respond and refer people struggling with their mental health.
After discovering that members of their community would rather talk to friends or family than mental health services the SBSPN engaged Lifeline Tasmania to run Accidental Counsellor training, raising awareness of the need to talk and support one another.
SBSPN build a sense of belonging through community events like High Tea for the aged, the Winter Solstice Swim, and the 12th annual Suicide Grief and Loss Memorial. They also worked to start the Better Together network, which connected support services and community groups to share resources and plan activities for Mental Health Week. These events and activities in turn engaged the broader Spring Bay community and got them talking about mental health.
The Spring Bay Suicide Prevention Network knows that suicide prevention is an ongoing journey. They continue to take steps forward to make sure no one is left behind – the key goal of their ABC approach. The events the SBSPN run have become so popular within their communities that they are now a permanent fixture on the annual calendar.
