About us: what we do
- Our region
- How we work
- What we're working on
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Goulburn and Region refers to 3 Local Government Areas - Goulburn Mulwaree, Upper Lachlan and the Yass Valley. The region is known for its heritage tourism, agriculture and picturesque natural landscape. The region is growing and is already home to nearly 60 000 people.
In Goulburn and the surrounding regions there are:
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more than 2,900 people (5.1%) who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
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more than 3,200 people (5.6%) who were born overseas in a predominantly non-English speaking country
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more than 12,500 (21.2%) people who are aged over 65 years and approximately one fifth of those (2,800) live alone.
Suicide rates in the region are higher than national and NSW state averages (age standardised rates per 100,000 population), making the Suicide Prevention Network an important part of the community.
Further information can be found in COORDINARE's population health profile.
The Goulburn and Region Suicide Prevention Network is a community-led group working together to reduce suicide and support people after a suicide has occurred. We bring local organisations, community members, and people with lived experience together to understand what’s already happening, identify gaps, and design meaningful, sustainable solutions for our region.
We meet regularly to share knowledge, plan activities, and make sure our work reflects the needs and experiences of the Goulburn community. Everyone in the Network contributes by showing up, collaborating, supporting each other, and championing suicide prevention in their own circles.
Find out more about our Ways of Working here.
At its heart, the Network operates on respect, trust, and a belief that we’re stronger when we work together. If you’re passionate about creating a safer, more connected community, there’s a place for you here.
Community support resources:
Knowing where to get the right help can be challenging in times of distress, so the Network has created Where to go for Support cards, posters and digital resources to point the community in the right direction. You can access these resources here.
Building awareness and skills around suicide prevention:
The Network promotes and supports Recognise and Respond, a free, self-paced training program that equips participants with the skills and confidence needed to have a caring conversation with a friend, family member or colleague who may be at risk of suicide.
Through its partnership with Lifeline Macarthur and Western Sydney, the Network has provided free mental health training, including the Accidental Counsellor and Read the Signs courses.
Connecting the community
The Out of the Shadows Walk was organised on World Suicide Prevention Day (September 10) to remember those we have lost to suicide and raise awareness of suicide prevention. Follow COORDINARE on Facebook or LinkedIn for updates on this year’s Out of the Shadows Walk and other events in the pipeline.
Enhancing network capability
Network members recognise that building on their own skills and wellbeing is essential to provide services to the wider community.
Members have engaged with a range of skill-building activities, including Mindframe Plus training – focusing on safer communication about suicide and proactively working with the media to reduce stigma associated with suicide and mental health.
More information coming soon*
Get involved:
- What can I do?
- Network member
- Training and support
The vision of the Goulburn and Region Suicide Prevention Network is to reduce suicides in the Goulburn region.
We are working toward a thriving community that is caring, compassionate and connected. Preventing suicide is not the sole responsibility of any one person, group, service, or sector.
Every one of us has a role to play in suicide prevention - and you are in a position to help.
Anyone is welcome to join the Network, and the growing diversity of our membership echoes the need for a whole-of-community approach. All contributions are respected and welcomed.
Network members contribute their time, wisdom, expertise, and resources to the work and are supported by a backbone team for structure and consistency.
Members are actively involved in the work of the Network either via the steering group or project work. They agree to work within the spirit of the Network’s ways of working.
Goulburn and Region Suicide Prevention Network members at (enter event name)
Members with lived and living experience of suicide and/or those representing community voice are strongly encouraged to join the Network. Our goal is to have lived and living experience represented across all parts of the Network’s efforts, to ensure our collective work is sustainable, compassionate and reflects the needs of our community. Lived and living experience and community members may be eligible for paid participation in the work of the Network.
Members representing an organisation or service should, where possible, be able to actively contribute to Network activities. They should remain constant as much as possible. The organisational member will have sought permission (where necessary) to work with the Network as part of their role and are sharing back the work of the Network to their organisation or service.
HOW DO I BECOME A NETWORK MEMBER?
Organisations or individuals wanting to become a member of the Network should email the backbone team at suicideprevention@coordinare.org.au.
New members will be orientated to the Network and attend Network meeting before aligning their interests, perspective, skills, and time to project work.
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
To find out more about becoming a Network member, please email the backbone team at suicideprevention@coordinare.org.au
Complete Recognise and Respond Suicide Prevention Training: Talking to someone about suicide may feel like one of the hardest things you’ll ever do, but it could also be one of the most important conversations you’ll ever have. COORDINARE in collaboration with Black Dog Institute is offering the Recognise and Respond - Suicide Prevention training free to people living and working in the South Eastern NSW PHN region. Find out more here.
Know where to go for support: COORDINARE'S suicide prevention team have worked with local Suicide Prevention Collaboratives and Network to develop a suite of 'Where to go for Support' resources. These resources are available for you to download and use now and into the future. Find out more here.
Find local information and support services for:
- Find support
- Where to go for support - resources
COORDINARE's suicide prevention team has worked with the Goulburn and Region Suicide prevention Network to develop a suite of 'Where to go for support' resources to highlight key suicide prevention, mental health and other supports available in the Goulburn region.