On World Suicide Prevention Day, Orygen’s suicide prevention research team, together with RMIT students, has launched #SafeSpace. It’s an interactive, digital space where you can read real stories from young people with an experience of suicide.
The stories highlight hope and recovery and aim to normalise conversations about mental ill-health and suicide-related topics.
Associate Professor Jo Robinson, head of suicide prevention research at Orygen, said she hoped #SafeSpace would be an accessible place for young people to find real stories of hope.
“We often talk about the importance of sharing stories of hope and recovery, but we don’t really provide examples of what that means,” Associate Professor Robinson said.
“At Orygen we have always tried really hard to give young people clear tips and advice rather than vague suggestions. So with #SafeSpace we really wanted to operationalise what we mean by stories of hope and recovery in a way that is accessible and relatable for other young people.”
Suicide prevention team research assistant, Dr Louise La Sala, worked closely with RMIT students, Joanne, Linsy and Matilda in the making of #SafeSpace.
“Everything we do in suicide prevention at Orygen is by young people and for young people, so it was really important to us that we partnered with young people to help share these stories,” Dr La Sala said.
“Not only are these real stories from young people who have shared their lived experience with us, but these students from RMIT have brought them to life in a way that is age appropriate, safe and meaningful.”
Visit #SafeSpace by heading to orygen.org.au/safespace.