News

Wesley Mission's LifeForce suicide prevention program has won an award in the 2007 Mental Health Matters Awards.

Wesley LifeForce has been awarded in the Non-government or Community category in acknowledgement of its vital work in educating, empowering, and resourcing communities to help reduce the high rate of suicide in Australia.

Every day we have an average of six suicides and 180 attempted suicides. The most recent statistics reveal that 2101 Australians took their own lives in 2005. Every suicide leaves at least 10-15 people affected by grief and loss and struggling with a host of unanswered questions.

Over the past five years, Wesley LifeForce workshops and seminars have educated more than 7000 people, enabling them to respond to others in a crisis.

Wesley LifeForce manager Kirsty D’Bais is delighted that the program has been recognised, and hopes that more Australians will take the issue of suicide seriously as a result.

"Awareness and understanding of depression is increasing, but we still have a long way to go", she says.

"Almost every person who comes to a Wesley LifeForce workshop is shocked at the high rate of suicide in Australia, because it’s just not something we talk about. Too many people are slipping through the cracks – we need start recognising the signs, and we can’t do that without education."

The awards, given by the Mental Health Association NSW Inc., will be presented during the official launch of Mental Health Week (Sunday 7th to Saturday 13th October) on Wednesday 10 October in Martin Place from 12pm.

Award Ceremony Details
Date: Wednesday 10 October, 12pm – 2pm
Venue: Martin Place Amphitheatre, Sydney

Elise Williams 
Public Affairs Officer
Wesley Mission
Ph: (02) 9263 5509
Mobile: 0431 221 293 

Kirsty D’Bais
Manager, Wesley LifeForce
Ph: (02) 9874 2111
Mobile: 0434 604 018