Farm-Link co-ordinator Fiona Livingstone’s work in suicide prevention has an indelible stamp on her heart, and she now works with a team to help people identify the signs she said were not clear when her family experienced its own tragic loss.

“I feel it’s my absolute commitment, to do what I can to prevent that from happening as often as it does,” she said.

Fiona, with project officers Rachel McLay and Carmel O’Sullivan have been growing the Inverell-based suicide prevention program and its range of training workshops. The team works in conjunction with the University of Newcastle, Center for Rural and Remote Mental Health (CRRMH) and the Black Dog Institute.

They work at a grass-roots level with free community workshops, business workshops and opportunities, and subsided Clinical Suicide Prevention Training, in conjunction with the Black Dog Institute, one of which is scheduled for May 20 in Armidale. 

“It’s mainly targeted at GPs, but psychologists, social workers, are also able to attend,” Fiona said. The program centres on an element of the Lifespan Strategy, created by Black Dog. 

“Where they have some up with nine different activities, that when combined, in each community, will reduce, or should reduce suicide,” she said. 

The clinical training upskills professionals, like GPs and front-line workers to identify risks when a vulnerable person presents. 

Farm-link also identified they needed a specific program to provide support for the Aboriginal community.

Fiona said they reached out to leaders for assessment and facilitation every step of the way, and are piloting the suicide-prevention workshop We-Yarn, co-delivered with well-known Kamilaroi man, sportsman and mentor Nathan Blacklock, to communities across northern NSW.

She said the the university and CRRMH had been very supportive of their incentive to work laterally, and gave offers them evaluation of all programs and the chance to present their findings at conferences. 

“We couldn’t do what we do without the backing of something so huge behind us,” Fiona said. 

“When I look at myself, and I look at Rach, we’re doing this work because we genuinely care, and we want to make a difference to people, and suicide kills far too many people, and has such a massive ripple effect that I have very personally experienced.

“The best thing you can do, is genuinely care, and you would be surprised at what a difference you can make.”

For more information, phone Fiona on 0427 072 105, or email fiona.livingstone@newcastle.edu.au.