Public lecture explores community's role in preventing youth suicide

The community’s role in tackling the issue of youth suicide and depression was the focus of this month’s USQ Community Capacity Building Lecture.

Toowoomba residents attended the event, which was held in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Toowoomba East and the Community and Environmental Services Section of the Toowoomba Regional Council, at the QCWA Hall.

The lecture was be presented by two experts in this particular field: Garry King, a guidance officer, teacher and youth counsellor specialising in the area of suicide prevention and Garry Hansford, the Community Support Worker for the Mental Health Support for Drought Affected Communities Initiative delivered by GP Connections and funded by the Department of Health and Ageing.

Mr King worked previously as a youth welfare consultant to the Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention and has held the position of adjunct lecturer Youth Welfare within the Education Faculty at the Central Queensland University. He has been a member of the curriculum advisory board for the Post Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Mental Health at USQ. Mr King was the recipient of a Churchill Fellowship to the USA to research youth suicide prevention and has authored journal articles, books and documentaries on this subject.

Mr King provided some insight into the various issues that surround youth suicide, looking at the demographic background, the sociological and mental health factors that contribute and the statistics within Australia and worldwide.

Garry Hansford has worked with disadvantaged job seekers and has developed and implemented a range of community projects in Toowoomba and on the Southern Downs.

He explained the training options available to address community awareness issues relating to both depression and suicide, and issued a challenge to attendees to seriously consider hosting and/or running courses in the community.

Community Capacity Building Project Coordinator and USQ honorary Professor, Glen Postle, said the social costs of youth suicide were enormous and seemed to be on the increase.

'This public lecture series is all about bringing key players together in our communities to share knowledge, information and ideas - it's all about partnerships and community participation,' Professor Postle said.

A third public lecture on Youth Driving Programs in planned for November 9.