Recognise and Respond: Suicide Prevention
Support Act is pleased to offer training with one of Australia’s leading suicide intervention training organisations, Black Dog Institute . This service is available for free to people working in the Australian music or creative industries.Â
The thought of talking to someone about suicide isn’t easy, but it could assist them in getting help and save their life. Recognise and Respond – Suicide Prevention is an online course aimed at reducing and preventing suicides in Australia.
You don’t have to be a trained professional to engage in a conversation about suicide.
This interactive program provides the tools and confidence to have a life-saving conversation and respond to a friend, family member, or colleague who may have suicidal thoughts.
Why is suicide prevention training important for creative workers?
According to our 2024 survey, Mental Health and Wellbeing in Music and Creative Industries, people who work in music and the creative industries are 3.4 times more likely to contemplate or attempt suicide than the general population. (Swinburne University, 2024, authored by Aurora Almes, Emma Riseley)
This interactive program provides the tools and confidence to have a life-saving conversation and respond to a friend, family member, or colleague who may have suicidal thoughts.
Who is this course for?
Recognise and Respond is designed for the general population, workers or members of the public who are likely to encounter individuals at risk and may be influential in their decision to access care.
However, their role does not necessarily require formal training in suicide crisis response and management.
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Please note: Support Act provides free access to this service to people working in the Australian music or creative industries.Â
Expressions of interest made via the form below are vetted by our team for eligibility before your place in the course is confirmed via email.Â
If you do not work in music or the creative industries, but would like to complete Recognise and Respond, please visit the Black Dog Institute website to learn how.Â
What are the learning outcomes?
The self-paced online training includes interactive activities, case studies depicting interactions between a person experiencing thoughts of suicide and a helper, and scenario based challenges to test learning.
You will:
- Learn how to identify warning signs that someone may be suicidal
- Know how to engage in supporting conversations
- Understand what support is available and how to connect people to resources and professional care
- Gain strategies to look after yourself while supporting others
What is the time commitment?
You can complete the online interactive course on any desktop or mobile device.
It’s self-directed and will take approximately 1 hour to finish.
What is the evidence behind the program?
Recognise and Respond was developed by the Black Dog Institute in response to a need for a program that was suited to the Australian community.
The design of the program was informed by extensive consultations with people with a lived experience of suicide to ensure it is relevant, engaging, and easy to follow. The rigor of the program was informed by existing evidence and input from academics and clinicians.
The serious stuff
Support Act is a registered Public Benevolent Institution (PBI).
This means our primary purpose is to relieve distress, hardship and suffering, and to support people who are experiencing, or are at risk of, significant vulnerability.
Our PBI status reflects our commitment to delivering programs that provide genuine public benefit, are responsibly governed, and remain focused on supporting those who need help most across the music and creative industries.
If you would like to complete the training, please submit an Expression of Interest via the form below.Â
