An Eden-based forum aimed at suicide-prevention is being urgently organised as part of a shire-wide response to the ongoing tragedy of suicide, with four people taking their lives over the past two weeks in the valley and the death toll of suicide in the Eden-Monaro region being reported as higher than road fatalities.
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Health professionals, representatives of SPAN (Bega Valley Suicide Prevention Action Network) and deputy mayor Liz Seckold agree the number of suicide victims is disproportionately high in our rural community, with ongoing concern for vulnerable youth in the Eden area.
Pastor Ossie Cruse has been working in social advocacy and as a youth worker for over 50 years, and despairs at the continued stress and family dysfunction that he believes are the two core social problems leading to suicide.
“I’ve had four suicides in my family, so it’s not something off in the distance, it’s close, very close,” Pastor Cruse said.
“In this so-called modern time it’s alarming how widespread suicide is. And it’s all connected to the post traumatic stress environment we’ve created in the world. It’s affecting everyone.”
Pastor Cruse has recently attended two heartbreaking funerals for Aboriginal youths aged 17 and 21, and said the difficulty is empowering vulnerable youth to seek help and find hope.
“They say you can ring someone up if you feel you need help, but nine times out of ten people don’t think that way, everything’s spur of the moment,” Pastor Cruse said.
“We need to help people condition their own minds and take control of their own lives, because we can’t be with people 24 hrs per day.”
Social advocate Ross Williams believes one way to help youth is to bring youth together, and he is organising an under 25’s forum at Jigamy Farm in Eden, specifically for Aboriginal youth.
“We’re looking for the best Indigenous facilitator we can find, and will reach out to all the region’s high schools to participate,” Mr Williams said on Tuesday May 24.
Mr Williams is a member of the Sapphire Coast Social Justice Advocates group and has worked with troubled youth for over 50 years, with first hand experience of suicide.
“I believe the main triggers for suicide are lack of opportunities for Indigenous people to progress, drug addiction, loneliness and teenage angst entering adulthood,” Mr Williams said.
The proposed Eden forum is fully supported by SPAN president and BVSC deputy mayor Liz Seckold, who said the main aims are to “research suicide, raise community awareness and support the bereaved”.
“We want to do something about the, sadly, high incidence of youth suicide in the Bega Valley,” Ms Seckold said on Tuesday May 24. “(The forum) will give young people opportunity to be listened to as they express their concerns.”
Mr Williams said an exact date is still being decided but said it will occur ahead of Mental Health Month in October, and he implores community to get behind it.
“We need to listen to the youth, not patronise them. We need to create a space where youth can talk, and we can offer support,” Mr Williams said.
“I want to prove that the Eden community can do this.”
If this has raised concerns for you, contact one of the following organisations:
Lifeline: 13 11 14, www.lifeline.org.au
Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467, www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au
beyondblue: 1300 22 4636, www.beyondblue.org.au
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