Dubbo Regional Council has thrown its support behind an initiative by Lifeline Central West targeting suicide in the Indigenous community.
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YarnUp Confidential aims to recruit Aboriginal staff to work with the community to reduce the rate of regional suicide and domestic violence.
Lifeline is pushing for $2.5 million per year over five years for YarnUp Confidential to employ and train Aboriginal staff. Of the funding, 70 per cent would be applied to full employment and training costs.
By employing Aboriginal staff, Lifeline Central West is hoping to dispel some of the mistrust in the Aboriginal community of those seeking help while also starting a conversation about the mental health issues.
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Dubbo Regional mayor Ben Shields said Lifeline was one of the “true gems” when it came to community organisations in the region.
“They are unbelievably and utterly unresourced when it comes to the mammoth task they have ahead of them. We have a massive epidemic that is sweeping our nation at the moment when it comes to mental health,” Cr Shields said.
They are unbelievably and utterly unresourced when it comes to the mammoth task they have ahead of them.
- Ben Shields
The mayor said giving support to the YarnUp Confidential program was “the right thing to do”.
“This is something that’s desperately needed and we need to get behind this us much as we can,” he said.
Cr Shields also encouraged Dubbo Regional councillors and members of the public to speak up about the good work Lifeline Central West was undertaking.
If the program can get funding from the state or federal government it will be a division of Lifeline Central West and the operation will be based in Dubbo with outreach centres in Broken Hill and Moree.
Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton has previously told Fairfax Media he first heard about the project when Lifeline Central West executive director Alex Ferguson approached him in 2015 with a letter for Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion.
“I have made representation on behalf of Lifeline Central West to several ministers since then which has facilitated meetings that provided Mr Ferguson with an opportunity to pitch his proposal to relevant ministers, their advisers and departmental staff,” he said.
Anyone in need of Lifeline should call 13 11 14.