A Step In The Right Direction

On Monday, March 17th, the Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre hosted a highly impactful CORES Suicide Prevention Training workshop, attended by 9 local community members. These workshops aim to equip participants with essential skills for identifying and responding to individuals at risk of suicide, while also promoting self-care and mental wellbeing.

Barbara Hill, a facilitator of the workshop, explained the importance of the training; “It’s a free suicide intervention training, and CORES stands for Community Owned Response to Eliminating Suicide.” She emphasised the inclusive nature of the session stating, “Today's group is a mixture of members of the public and business owners,” highlighting the diverse backgrounds of those involved.

Barbara also touched on the delicate nature of the topic, ensuring that participants felt supported throughout the process. “Although we’re talking about a heavy topic, we don’t keep it heavy, and we end our sessions focusing on self-care,” she said. The workshop explores methods of helping participants recognise 'red flags’ and how to respond to them. “We work on different models and scenarios so that people can recognise when they or their loved ones are in that mental headspace,” Hill added.

One of the key features of CORES training is its accessibility and its ability to complement other mental health programs. Hill shared her admiration for CORES, saying, “What I love most about CORES is that you can have done various other trainings, but it blends them all together, and it’s presented in such a way that it’s easy to understand. It’s not hard training, it’s not meant to be. We get people from all walks of life wanting to learn and understand. It’s beautiful.”

CORES, a non-profit, non-government community organisation, is dedicated to preventing suicide and building community capacity to eliminate it. The organisation’s core offering is a one-day suicide intervention course, which is currently being provided in 27 communities across Australia, with more than 5,000 members involved.

The training session offered attendees valuable skills for identifying warning signs of suicide, supporting individuals at risk to access services, and promoting help-seeking behaviour before a crisis occurs. Participants also learned how to identify and develop personal self-care strategies.

For those interested in growing their understanding of suicide prevention and mental wellbeing, the CORES Suicide Prevention Training and Self-Care and Mental Wellbeing workshops are open to individuals aged 15 and above, with adolescents requiring guardian supervision.

To find out about upcoming sessions or to access helpful services, community members are encouraged to connect via Facebook at CORESQueensland or email: admin@kentishrc.com.au and visit the CORES website at cores.org.au. Don’t miss the opportunity to join the next training session in Mackay at the Jubilee Community Centre on the 26th of March by scanning the QR Code and make a difference in your community’s approach to suicide prevention.

Call Triple Zero (000) if you or a loved one are in immediate danger | Call Lifeline (13 11 14) for 24/7 Crisis Support | Or visit Beyond Blue online to chat 24/7 to a free, confidential counsellor or call one on (1300 224 636).

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Facilitators Ross, Barb and Isaac with participants of the workshop holding their completion certificates.

https://events.humanitix.com/host/cores-queensland

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