2025 Winners

Winners were announced at an award ceremony that took place at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Launceston, on Wednesday 12th March

On Wednesday, March 12, 2025, the Tasmanian Suicide Prevention Community Network (TSPCN) honored exceptional individuals and organisations with the 20th Annual LiFE Awards. These prestigious awards recognise the outstanding work being done across the state to prevent suicide and support those affected.

The LiFE Awards celebrate the diverse ways Tasmanians are making a difference, from grassroots initiatives to workplace mental health programs and crisis intervention services. This year’s nominations showcased the passion, commitment, and innovative approaches that are vital to reducing the stigma surrounding suicide and creating a more supportive community for all.

It was inspiring to hear of people’s willingness to do their part in supporting individuals, groups, communities and workplaces in such an important area of work.

Congratulations to everyone who was nominated and thank you for the contribution you make to suicide prevention, intervention and post-vention in Tasmania.

2025 LiFE Award winners were:

Outstanding Contribution LiFE Award was awarded to Kylie Delaney 

Kylie has dedicated 18 years of her life to her work in the mental health sector, with a particular focus on complex PTSD and suicide. As a person with lived experience of mental ill-health and disability, she continues to dedicate her expertise to her profession and community, no matter what is going on for her. She is the definition of strength.

Kylie became aware of the lack of services and the strong sense of community in Tasmania after moving from the mainland several years ago. She has embedded her understanding into her work at Wellways as a Program Coordinator and into her personal time, where she has built networks to support connections between the community and support services.

Kylie is passionate about addressing the gaps in services that she faced when going through her diagnosis and treatment. She strongly advocates for changes to processes and legislation to prevent trauma and make sure that services are inclusive. She regularly attends walks, vigils and events to bring attention to mental health and suicide.

Despite her own struggles, Kylie is always focused on supporting others. Her positive, strength-based approach actively encourages and empowers others on their journey.  She is always working to become the best version of herself to provide better support to others. Kylie once shared that if she stopped one person from dying by suicide, her job would be done. There is no doubt that her dedication has saved more than one life.

Communities in Action for Suicide Prevention LiFE Award was awarded to The Lounge (New Mornings)

The Lounge is a local, non-clinical support program that offers a safe and welcoming space for women experiencing mental ill-health, grief, and/or intellectual disabilities. Offering opportunities for social connection through activities like crafts, excursions, and shared refreshments, The Lounge provides women with a space where they can belong, heal and grow.

The Lounge was created from a deeply personal vision of tragedy and experience, including the loss of a close friend to suicide. The desire to create a meaningful space to comfort other people with broken hearts, offer freedom to those struggling with mental illness, and restore joy where there was once grief and despair are The Lounge’s key objectives. With help from New Mornings, The Lounge opened its doors in 2018.

Serving as a vital safety net between clinical appointments, The Lounge offers a holistic recovery space that goes beyond traditional mental health interventions. It provides a space for women to rebuild confidence, form meaningful relationships, and find strength in a nurturing community. The Lounge also promotes awareness campaigns and works with external providers to make sure the people who engage with The Lounge’s programs are supported to reach their full potential.

Best Practice in Suicide Prevention in a Workplace LiFE Award was awarded to Skretting Australia

It was the tragic loss of a colleague to suicide that sparked change at Skretting Australia. Realising that mental health support was needed in every part of their employees’ lives, they took action to provide it.

To provide robust mental health support and resources for their employees, Skretting Australia teamed up with Rural Alive and Well and Converge International’s Employee Assistant Programs to provide crucial counselling and support services. A Community Action Plan for Suicide Prevention is being developed in collaboration with Relationships Australia Tasmania. This plan focuses on enhancing mental health literacy, reducing stigma, and encouraging transparent discussions about mental health.

Employees play a key role in shaping the supports and resources available to them. Service partnerships are regularly reviewed and refined based on direct feedback from employees to make sure they stay supportive and accessible. Thirteen staff, nominated by their colleagues, have also completed Mental Health First Aid training.

Skretting Australia’s effort is already having an impact, with several employees feeling confident to share their lived experience stories and more utilising the ‘Shout Out’ program, which encourages employees to recognise each other’s contributions. Their employees feel more comfortable seeking help and supporting one another, leading to a noticeable reduction in stigma and an overall improvement in workplace morale. Collectively, these practices are contributing to a resilient workforce that prioritises mental health, reduces the risk of suicide, and fosters a healthier work environment.

Innovative Practice and Research LiFE Award was awarded to A Tasmanian Lifeline

A Tasmanian Lifeline (ATL) is a vital telephone service that provides ongoing emotional and social support to Tasmanians of all ages. By addressing feelings of loneliness, isolation and interpersonal stress, ATL helps callers build resilience and coping skills to proactively manage their mental health.

Started to support older Tasmanians through the COVID-19 pandemic, ATL has grown to become an innovative phone service that connects with its callers in ways few other phone lines can. Staffed by local people who understand the barriers and issues of concern Tasmanians face, ATL creates strong connections between callers and the highly trained support workers. The service also offers a callback service, which allows callers to access follow-up support.  A scheduled call from ATL is something for people to look forward to.

While the service creates ongoing, personal connections, callers are still able to stay anonymous. As the service runs from 8am to 8pm every day of the year, it can bridge the gap in support, particularly during times when people tend to struggle and many other services are unavailable.

Through these innovative practices, ATL has responded to complex mental health challenges in a way that has deeply resonated with the community. Sometimes all you need is someone to talk to, and when people need to talk to someone, they call A Tasmanian Lifeline.

Priority Populations Contribution to Suicide Prevention LiFE Award was awarded to Men’s Resources Tasmania – Building Pathways Coaching and Mentoring Program

Men’s Resources Tasmania’s Building Pathways Coaching and Mentoring program supports men who are involved with the correctional system, or at risk of becoming involved. From humble beginnings as a one-on-one support program, Building Pathways now offers a range of supports to men across their incarceration journey.

The Building Pathways program is based on Men’s Resources Tasmania’s desire to see improvements in services for men and boys’ wellbeing in Tasmania. Men are over-represented in national suicide figures, and incarcerated men are often forgotten because of the complex nature of working with them. Many inmates struggle with their mental health, but barriers prevent them from getting the help they need and prevent organisations from being able to reach them.

The Building Pathways program was created by volunteers and based on years of personal and professional experience. It brings an innovative approach to providing support for incarcerated and at-risk men. The program includes group work for men preparing for release and transitional support for those leaving prison. Building Pathways also trains inmates to become Peer Support Workers, which has been well-received by the prison community.

Through feedback and working with participants, the program gains a greater understanding of the unique needs of incarcerated men and the complexities of working with them. Men’s Resources Tasmania is committed to adapting the program to reach more men and empowering them with the skills needed to reach out and ask for help.

Priority Populations Contribution to Suicide Prevention LiFE Award was awarded to Home Base – Housing Accommodation Support Initiative

The Housing and Accommodation Support Initiative (HASI) supports individuals experiencing mental ill-health to maintain stable housing. By stepping up integrated support HASI prevents social housing tenants from losing their tenancies, becoming homeless, and needing further acute mental health care. This reduces suicide risk and prevents further mental health crisis, alleviating demand on already stretched mental health inpatient services.

This gap between housing and mental health was the motivation behind HASI. The program, currently in use in NSW and the NT, has been developed for Tasmania to meet local needs. It has been co-designed with Tasmanians who experience severe mental ill-health and are at risk of homelessness, including people with low socioeconomic status, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people, people from CALD backgrounds, LGBTIQA+ people, people with psychosocial disability, and men.

HASI goes beyond crisis intervention and builds trusting relationships that empower people to maintain housing, improve wellbeing, reduce isolation and move towards independence. Through the program’s work to keep people in social housing, HASI participants are helped toward recovery through tailored support created in collaboration with Adult Community Mental Health Services. People in the program show measurable improvements in housing stability and overall mental health, as well as improved life skills and increased social participation.