One hour can make all the difference to a local life

This week and for the month of July we are shining the spotlight on how people in Newcastle can learn to save a life and play a personal role in suicide prevention. 

To do this we are asking for people to give just one hour of their time.

One hour – the same amount of time that many of us spend in a single meeting, the time it takes to drive between Newcastle and Singleton, the time we allocate for a lunch break, or the time it takes to play a game of netball. 

In that single hour, you could also get the knowledge you need to save a life.

Each day across Australia, 8 people will die by suicide and a further 175 people will make a suicide attempt. Numbers that are unacceptable to any of us.

But behind those numbers are people – our brothers, our mothers, our children, our best friend, our work colleague, our team mate, our neighbour, our community member.

At times, the problems we face together can seem so big and so overwhelming, but every hour offers an opportunity to do something. To do something that can make a difference to your own life or the lives of people around you. 

And all of our hours together could be really powerful. The power to create a community that doesn’t wait for people to put their hand up to ask for help, but a community who offers help to those around them.

A community that can ask the question, listen to what is going on and connect another person to the support they need.

For the month of July we have called on the voices of twelve well-known local identities to lend their voices to a campaign encouraging the Newcastle community to take advantage of Question Persuade Refer (QPR), a free, online training program that provides people with the tools to have a conversation that could save a life.

The QPR program which is open to people over 18 who live and work in Newcastle, equips participants with the knowledge and the skills to identify warning signs that someone may be suicidal as well as the confidence to talk to them and connect them with professional care.

This week you may have seen a video hit social media networks featuring Surfest Founder, Warren Smith; Newcastle Business Club President, Craig Wellings, Newcastle Museum Director, Julie Baird; Australian Rugby League Assistant Coach, Michael Hagan; Hunter Valley Coal Chain Coordinator (HVCCC) CEO Kirsten Molloy; Screaming Jets singer songwriter and teacher at Atwea College, Grant Walmsley; Director of Hamilton Doctors, Dr Ben Seckold; COO of Badger Australia, Belinda Smith; Founder and CEO of Got Your Back Sista, Melissa Histon-Browning; Lead Facilitator of Waves of Wellness (WOW) Foundation, Dave Kelly; ABC Newcastle Presenter Dan Cox and well known media personality and community advocate Mike Rabbitt. 

WATCH: Newcastle leaders support local suicide prevention campaign

Each local identity has generously donated their time and support to promote the QPR training program as a way of helping to prevent suicide in the Newcastle community.

Suicide is something that touches every Australian and every community, including our community.

It is a professional issue for me, but it is also a deeply personal one. 

QPR is free, takes an hour and can help the people at your business, on your team, in your club, in your street or sitting next to you on your couch to learn how to save a local life.

Will you give an hour? This July please support and promote #QPRNewy

QPR training is available FREE to adults in the Newcastle and Hunter regions that to the support of HNECCPHN and available on the everymind.org.au website.

And if you are reading this and you are in need of someone to talk to today, remember that the amazing volunteers at Lifeline are there for you today and everyday - call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit www.lifeline.org.au