“Once developed, these guidelines will provide guidance on giving appropriate support to members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities who are having suicidal thoughts or engaging in self-harming behaviours. They will be used to inform the content of gatekeeper training for people to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide prevention.”
Indigenous Suicide Prevention
Do you have expertise in suicide or self-injury in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?
If yes, your assistance is needed for an important research project
What does the project involve?
Researchers at the The University of Melbourne are seeking up to 30 expert panel members for a research project to develop guidelines on how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and non-Aboriginal frontline workers can provide mental health first aid for people who are having suicidal thoughts or displaying self-harming behaviour. These guidelines will empower them to take action to reduce the risk of suicide and self-injury in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth and adults.
Who are we looking for?
To become a panel member you need to be aged 18 years or over, identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, as well as having an expert level of knowledge about suicide and/or self-injury through your experience working in this field amongst Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander communities. If you meet these criteria, we would really appreciate your help with what we believe to be an extremely important and worthwhile project.
Can I let other people know about the project?
We also encourage you to forward this advertisement to all relevant contacts who you believe meet these criteria and would be interested in participating.
What do I have to give and what do I receive?
The total time commitment for this project is estimated to be approximately 2-3 hours. Participation will involve completing 6 online surveys (3 on suicide and 3 on self-injury), rating mental health first aid helping actions according to their importance to be included in the guidelines. Upon completion of the final survey, you will be reimbursed $250 for your time in the form of a Coles Group & Myer gift card. You are not required to attend any meetings, as all contact will be via the internet, or if you prefer, by paper mail.
What will be done with the guidelines?
Once developed, these guidelines will provide guidance on giving appropriate support to members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities who are having suicidal thoughts or engaging in self-harming behaviours. They will be used to inform the content of gatekeeper training for people to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide prevention. The guidelines will be freely available to download from the Mental Health First Aid website: www.mhfa.com.au
What about confidentiality?
All information about participants will remain strictly confidential. We are interested in the consensus views of the panel, rather than the views of individual panel members, so individual answers will never be reported.
How do I get involved?
If you would like to express interest in participating in this research, please email the study co-ordinator Gregory Armstrong at g.armstrong@unimelb.edu.au for a copy of the plain language statement, which provides further information.
Sincerely
Professor Anthony Jorm
Professorial Fellow and NHMRC Australia Fellow
Centre for Mental Health
Melbourne School of Population and Global Health
Level 4, 207 Bouverie Street
The University of Melbourne l 3010
T: +61 3 9035 7799
Professor Kerry Arabena
Chair of Indigenous Health
Director Onemda VicHealth Koori Health Unit
Centre for Health and Society
Melbourne School of Population and Global Health
Level 4, 207 Bouverie Street
The University of Melbourne l 3010
T: +61 3 90353033+61 3 90353033
E: kerry.arabena@unimelb.edu.au
Betty Kitchener AM
CEO
Mental Health First Aid Australia
369 Royal Parade
Parkville l 3052
T: +61 3 90790201+61 3 90790201