Education and Training
Community Education and Training
Shoalhaven Suicide Prevention and Awareness Network (SSPAN) run professional development and community education sessions as a strategy to help prevent suicide.
Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is learn how to help.
Across Australia, mental health challenges are common – over two in five Australians aged 16–85 (42.9%) have experienced a mental disorder at some point in their life, and one in five (21.5%) experienced symptoms in the past 12 months. Suicide remains a significant public health issue, 3,214 Australians died by suicide in 2023 – that’s 9 lives lost to suicide every year in Australia.
These numbers reflect the reality that many people in our community may be doing it tough – often silently. SSPAN offers practical, evidence‑based training – including Mental Health First Aid and Recognise and Respond – designed to build your confidence to recognise the signs, reach in with care, and support someone who may be at risk. Explore a course today and strengthen your skills to reach in when it matters most
SSPAN periodically offers MHFA training to the community.
Mental Health First Aid Australia has a number of different courses all over Australia find out more about course near you here
Mental Health First Aid
Mental health first aid is the help provided to a person who is developing a mental health problem, or who is in a mental health crisis (e.g., the person is suicidal or has had a traumatic experience). Like physical first aid, mental health first aid is given until the person receives professional help or until the crisis resolves.
Find out more
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. Recognise and Respond is a 1-hour online course that aims to reduce and prevent suicide in Australia. It equips learners with the skills and confidence needed to have a life-saving conversation with a friend, family member or colleague who may be at risk of suicide.
As a member of the Illawarra Shoalhaven Suicide Prevention Collaborative, Shoalhaven SPAN is pleased to extend this training opportunity to the Shoalhaven community.
Wesley LifeForce Suicide Prevention Training: Disability Support Worker
Wesley LifeForce has developed a quality suicide prevention training suite. These suicide prevention workshops are based on the latest research in suicide prevention and are designed to teach people how to identify the signs that someone may be at risk of suicide, how to engage and appropriate action to take.
This disability support work suicide prevention training is a 2-hour program which was created in consultation with disability support providers and lived experience.
