Community Gatekeeper Training

On this page

1. What is a Community Gatekeeper?
2. Who can be a Community Gatekeeper?
3. Where can I get Community Gatekeeper Training?
4. About the Community Gatekeeper Training initiative

What is a Community Gatekeeper?

Community Gatekeepers are members of the community who have been trained to:

• identify and reach out to people experiencing suicidal thinking or behaviour
• respond in a way that creates safe spaces for people to talk about their thoughts and feelings
• encourage people to get help from a health service and from their network of family and friends.

Saving someone’s life can begin with having a chat. Community Gatekeepers:

• help initiate those conversations
• give support and reassurance.

About 50 per cent of people who die by suicide have not had contact with a health service in the past 12 months.

Black Dog Institute, 2021

Who can be a Community Gatekeeper?

Anyone can be a Community Gatekeeper.

You don’t need extensive clinical training to have the skills to support someone experiencing suicidal thinking.

Community Gatekeepers can be:

• sporting coaches
• teachers
• youth workers
• clergy members
• pharmacists
• aged care workers
• construction workers
• and many others on the frontline of public life.

Community Gatekeeper Training includes:

• learning how to identify behavioural changes or elevated suicide risk
• developing skills to safely speak to and support individuals experiencing suicidal ideation or self-harm.

Where can I get Community Gatekeeper Training?

If you want more information or would like to undergo training to become a Community Gatekeeper, please contact one of the following organisations near you.

Across NSW (statewide)

LivingWorks

Supporting communities and industries across NSW including veterinarians, rural and remote communities, first responders, legal practices and other groups.

LivingWorks Education is a leading provider of suicide prevention training and delivers training programs across the world to increase the skills and confidence of participants in suicide prevention and intervention. LivingWorks are offering three training options:

• Start – teaches life-saving suicide prevention skills in as little as ninety minutes online. Dynamic and interactive content provides a high-impact learning experience. Start was developed with input from experts in suicide prevention, education, psychology, public health, social work, faith communities and the military. Each Start user receives the same core information and skills training, with additional custom content depending on their background, location, and needs.
• safeTALK – half day face to face training in suicide alertness. It helps participants recognise a person with thoughts of suicide and connect them with resources who can help. Participants don't require any formal preparation to attend the training.
• ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) – a two-day face to face interactive workshop in suicide first-aid. ASIST helps increase participants' skills and confidence to intervene with someone at risk of suicide.

There is no pre-requisite to attend LivingWorks training, anyone who wants to make a difference can do the training.

Call: 1300 738 382
Email: info@livingworks.com.au
Website: LivingWorks

Murrumbidgee

Wellways

Supporting the Murrumbidgee community.

Wellways are offering three training options:

• ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) - a two-day, face to face interactive workshop in suicide first aid. The workshop helps teach participants to recognise when someone may be at risk of suicide and work with them on a plan to help keep them safe. The workshop focuses on active listening, recognising warning signs, safety planning and referral pathways.
• QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) - QPR is a 3 hour, face to face group skill building training session. The interactive workshops explore some of the myths around suicide, how to recognise warning signs, what questions to ask and how to refer to appropriate support.
• Deadly thinking - Deadly Thinking is delivered by Aboriginal people for Aboriginal people. It is a one-day social, emotional wellbeing and suicide prevention program specifically designed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, confronting core social and emotional wellbeing issues in a culturally safe and appropriate way.

Training is open to anyone in the Murrumbidgee who would like to feel more prepared to recognise suicide warning signs and support someone when they may need it most.

Call: Ned Evans, Suicide Prevention Community Development Coordinator on 0428143936 or Wellways Murrumbidgee on (02) 5925 5911.
Email: Ned Evans, Suicide Prevention Community Development Coordinator at nevans@wellways.org

Website: Wellways

South Coast NSW

Lifeline South Coast

Supporting male-dominated workplaces, or organisations that employ, interact with, or support a high number of men aged 45 and over on the South Coast.

Lifeline South Coast is helping employers in male dominated workplaces incorporate suicide prevention strategies into their employee health and wellbeing initiatives, as men are at greater risk of suicide than the general population.

The training equips workers with the knowledge and skills required to identify suicide warning signs, facilitate supportive conversations, and refer their colleagues to appropriate services and resources. Through upskilling employees and supporting those at risk of suicide, workplaces become healthier, happier, and more resilient. Training is flexible and can be delivered either face to face or virtually, and over one day or across multiple days. Contact Lifeline South Coast to ask training for your workplace.

Email: training@llsc.org.au.
Website Lifeline South Coast

University of Wollongong

Supporting Aboriginal Communities in the Shoalhaven.

Community Linker Training is culturally tailored training for Aboriginal community members and organisations who provide services to Aboriginal communities. The training supports Aboriginal people at-risk of suicide to access support more readily, and helps to bridge the gap between at-risk community members and professional services.

Community Linker Suicide Prevention Training is being delivered in partnership between the University of Wollongong MIND the GaP facility (Shoalhaven campus) and the South Coast Medical Service Aboriginal Corporation. Participants have the opportunity to provide feedback and evaluate the Community Linker Training program. The evaluation is intended to inform future training development and increase the effectiveness of suicide prevention programs for Aboriginal communities, contributing to the prevention of suicide amongst Aboriginal people.

Contact the University of Wollongong for upcoming training dates.

Call: (02) 4239 3852 (Community Linker Training Coordinator) or (02) 4429 1599 (MIND the GaP Reception).
Email: community-linkers@uow.edu.au

Sydney (Greater Sydney)

Master Builders Association of NSW

Supporting people working in or connected to the Building and Construction Industry including young apprentices, apprentice mentors, support staff and others.

Master Builders has partnered with Mates in Construction to deliver safeTALK training, a half a day face to face course that teaches participants to identify people at risk of suicide, engage with them and connect them to resources to help them.

Master Builders Young Gatekeepers Program aims to educate young people, youth mentors, and adults working with young people about suicide, challenging attitudes, and teaching suicide intervention skills.

Call: Omesh Jethwani, Government Projects & Programs Manager on (02) 8586 3539.
Email: Omesh Jethwani, Government Projects & Programs Manager at ojethwani@mbansw.asn.au

Northern Beaches Council

Supporting community members in regular contact with young people, men, seniors and emergency services in the Northern Beaches, Sydney.

Northern Beaches Council are offering Accidental Counsellor training for the local community to support people who might be at risk of suicide and ensure they are referred to appropriate mental health services and supports. The training can be completed over two 2-hour zoom sessions that will equip people to recognise when others are struggling, respond appropriately with confidence and refer someone to the best community-based help on the Northern Beaches.

Website Northern Beaches Council – Suicide Prevention Community Gatekeeper Training

About the Community Gatekeeper Training initiative

The Community Gatekeeper Training initiative has funded organisations across the state to deliver specialised, evidence-based suicide prevention training courses.

As of 23 January 2023, more than 8,219 people in NSW have already completed a Gatekeeper Training course.