The Territory Labor Government’s Suicide Prevention Grants have helped local organisations make a genuine difference to the lives of Territorians.
One success story from last year was FORWAARD Aboriginal Corporation’s Lyrics for Life project, which was rolled out with the support of 30 Territorians.
FORWAARD used their Suicide Prevention Grant to produce two songs touching on themes including how to reach out for help and overcome the stigma associated with mental health.
This enabled FORWAARD’s clients to pass on the message to their community in a simple way understood by all ages.
They also held three events in the lead up to World Suicide Prevention Day.
This year, almost 40 organisations have been awarded grant funding to back local activities and projects with the aim of bolstering suicide prevention efforts in the Northern Territory.
The 2021-2022 Suicide Prevention Grants are the fourth round of grants funded by the Territory Labor Government with $268,595 in grants awarded to 39 applicants in Darwin, Katherine, Central Australia, Barkly and East and West Arnhem regions.
Grants are awarded to support activities and projects that make progress in one or more of the identified priority areas for suicide prevention:
- Building inclusive communities and strengthening community resilience
- Addressing stigma and discrimination
- Raising awareness of effective suicide prevention practices
This year, the Territory Labor Government partnered with the Northern Territory Primary Health Network which has contributed $150,000 towards grant funding for 2021-2022.
A full list of grant recipients will be available shortly on the NT Health website: https://health.nt.gov.au
Quotes from Health Minister Natasha Fyles:
“Suicide Prevention Grants have empowered local champions like the Rotary Club and FORWAARD Aboriginal Corporation to make a significant difference to the lives of Territorians in need of support.
“The Territory Labor Government is determined to bring down suicide rates in the Territory and these grants are one way we can help support organisations make an impact.
“Just over 40 per cent of grant funding is targeted to support youth suicide prevention efforts.”