We have taken World Suicide Prevention Day to a whole new level this year. Aligned with the World Health Organisation’s theme, Changing the Narrative, Wellways launched the 1-month campaign in September, leading to meaningful conversations and messages with friends, colleagues and strangers about suicide.
The campaign invited our two thousand team members across the organisation to reflect on the role each of us plays in shifting the conversation around suicide and creating safer spaces for open, compassionate dialogue.
With social isolation, family and relationship breakdowns, cost of living challenges and unemployment continuing to be significant risk factors, we know that preventing suicide can’t be done through mental health services alone; we need the entire community to understand, recognise and be able to respond to people in a suicidal crisis.
Across Australia, Wellways team members embraced the campaign with enthusiasm, covering walls, windows and noticeboards with handwritten messages of hope, empathy and understanding. In the Murrumbidgee region, team members even took to the local shopping centre to encourage members of the community to think about how the narrative around suicide needs to change.
Each message was a reminder that small, thoughtful actions like the language we use, the way we listen, and how we show support can make a powerful difference in reducing stigma and promoting connection.
Changing the narrative on suicide begins with each of us. When we lead with compassion, we help make conversations about suicide safer, stronger and more human.