Following its official launch in March this year, Lifeline Narrm opened its first crisis support centre on Thursday 15 June ready to welcome the first of its crisis support volunteers to answer the urgent calls of Victorians.
‘Lifeline Narrm’ named in consultation with the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, was created as an urgent response to the lack of on-ground mental health support services, particularly in light of the nine per cent increase in death by suicide among Victorians from 2021 – 2022 – the highest number in 20 years.
It will service the Merribek to Manningham region, including Croydon and Chirnside Park, to help the 360,000 Victorians who call Lifeline each year – the highest number of calls to Lifeline nationally. Last year, only 138,000 calls were answered, putting significant pressure on the national system.
In the Lifeline Narrm geography of Merri-bek to Manningham alone, three people are reported to die by suicide each week.
Currently, the focus for Lifeline Narrm is to train as many crisis support volunteers as possible to ensure increased support for those struggling with mental health. Lifeline Narrm’s paid and volunteer workforce is being recruited locally to service Melbourne’s inner city and eastern suburbs, with a number of information sessions to roll-out from June in-person and via video conference to ensure maximum attendance.
Chief Executive Officer of Lifeline Narrm Carrie Leeson said the Lifeline Narrm centre was a momentous step for Victoria in answering more life-changing calls.
“Lifeline receives a call every 30 seconds nationally, many of which are from Victoria, so it’s important that we prioritise on-ground services to help as many people as we can.”
“Our Telephone crisis support volunteers are community angels to all Victorians undergoing struggles in life – no matter how big or small. They receive extensive training delivered by our highly skilled team, who are committed to providing 24/7 support. With 8.6 Australians dying by suicide each day, it’s important we continue growing our volunteer base to ensure we can help as many people as possible.”
There are currently 250 active crisis support volunteers in Victoria, however, double the amount is needed to meet the demands of a growing community in need. To become a crisis support volunteer, individuals must register on the website and attend an initial registration session to learn about the training program and commitment to Lifeline. The training costs usually associated with becoming a Lifeline crisis support volunteer are being waived for the first six months of the centre opening.
“If you have been thinking about volunteering and supporting your local community, we’d love to hear from you. Not only will you be supporting the wellbeing of Australians but it’s also a valuable opportunity to build on your own resilience and personal development. We thank each and every one of our volunteers for their selfless commitment to Victorians,” said Leeson.
For more information about Lifeline Narrm and to enquire about taking part in crisis support training, visit: www.lifelinenarrm.org.au
