Community Information 2

Saving our Kids:           Preventing Youth Suicide

Mental health conditions impact individuals and families across their lifespan. However, our youth are particularly vulnerable with over 75% of all mental health issues occurring before the age of 25; yet young people are less likely than any other age group to seek help.  Suicide continues to be the leading cause of death for young Australians, and the rate of suicide among Indigenous young people is significantly higher than non-Indigenous youth.  This is an extraordinary year for our youth on many fronts, from disruptions to the education system to uncertainties about what the future holds due to the ever-changing impact of COVID19. Signs that our youth are struggling are often subtle or different to that of adults, and sometimes it's difficult to know how to start a conversation with a young person we are worried about. In this panel, we will be discussing how to open the lines of communication; identifying concerning signs to look out for; and when is it an appropriate time to seek professional help.

Join our panel of experts as we discuss Youth Suicide Prevention on World Suicide Prevention Day with Psychologist Sabina Read, Suicide Prevention Researcher Gerry Georgatos, Mental Health Advocate Tareq Ahmed and Kelly Hand from Australian Institute of Family Studies.

Date:                    Thursday 10 September 2020

Time:                    7:00pm- 8:00pm AEST

Venue:                 Webinar Link

Register:              Eventbrite

Cost:                     FREE

Panellists

Sabina Read

Sabina Read is a psychologist, media commentator, speaker & communications specialist. In addition to working in private practice with individuals, couples and families, Sabina is the Resident Psychologist and Social Commentator on a number of Australian TV and radio shows including Afternoons on Radio 3AW, and co-host on the new conversations podcast, Human Cogs. Sabina is also the Resident Psychologist and Ambassador at SEEK; and Expert Ambassador at Kids Under Cover, a not for profit dedicated to the prevention of youth homelessness. Sabina is passionate about the universality of the human experience, believing that we all have more in common than we often realise.

Gerry Georgatos

Gerry Georgatos is the national coordinator of the National Suicide Prevention & Trauma Recovery Project. He has worked on the front lines of suicidality for the last decade. Gerry has spent his working life, forty years, supporting the homeless, people leaving prison, the impoverished and marginalised, working near exclusively with people living below the poverty line. Gerry also has an international aid background and among his academic qualifications has Master in Human Rights Education and a Master in Social Justice Advocacy & Civil Rights Arbitration.

Tareq Ahmed

Tareq is an accredited Standard Mental Health First Aid instructor with Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Australia. He is the co-founder of EducAID which aims to increase mental health literacy amongst CALD populations through education and engagement. His experience and current qualifications includes a Bachelor's in Economics, Graduate Diploma of Psychology and is currently completing his Honours in Psychology. His bout with mental health illness allows him to bring unique energy in the delivery of the MHFA courses. He is also passionate about sharing his story and assisting others in the hope of de-stigmatising the taboo nature of mental health, especially amongst ethnic males.

Moderator

Kelly Hand

Kelly Hand is Deputy Director (Research) at the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS). In this role she is responsible for the Institute’s research and knowledge translation program. The Institute’s work seeks to increase understanding about the factors that help Australian families thrive, or that are barriers to their wellbeing.

If you need help or are worried about someone you know, there is help available. Please  contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Kids Helpline (13-25) on 1800 55 1800