Suicide Prevention Community Grants awarded
Station Squidders – A Yorke Peninsula initiative, changing lives through catching Squid is amongst South Australian community groups and organisations awarded grants for projects that seek to minimise the prevalence of suicide.
What started as a casual gathering on the Moonta Bay Jetty, evolved into”Squid therapy”, with the simple joy of fishing, chatting and taking in the therapeutic benefits of the sea breeze, having a profound impact on people on the Yorke Peninsula.
Organiser, Jason Mobbs, said from a humble start with just three enthusiasts meeting a few times a week, the group had blossomed into a valuable community group with over 200 members actively following Squid Therapy – a term coined by the locals for their transformative sessions on the jetty.
“The heart of the initiative lies in promoting happiness and well-being, extending beyond the jetty interactions. Members distribute business cards advocating the group and provide essential mental health support information to those in need,” he said.
” The impact has been remarkable, with several members expressing newfound purpose in their lives.”
The Government’s Suicide Prevention Community Grant will assist the group in securing an extra venue away from the Jetty, at Moonta RSL.
The Grants program, provide funding of up to $15,000 to community groups and non-government organisations to deliver localised suicide prevention projects.
The successful projects align with the new South Australian Suicide Prevention Plan 2023-2026 and support evidence-based positive action within identified South Australian communities and priority populations.
They include initiatives that focus on youth, Aboriginal people and regional communities, and include training and programs that encourage early help-seeking.
The grants will be used to increase awareness, reduce stigma, promote protective factors and strengthen mental wellbeing to help prevent suicide in South Australian communities.
Since 2014, the State Government has been assisting state-wide suicide prevention projects through the South Australian Suicide Prevention Community Grants program.
Other groups to secure funding include –
- West Coast Youth and Community Support – Mentally Fit Weenas and Mentally Fit Teens
- Auspiced by Schools Ministry Group – Seasons For Growth SA Schools
- InComPro Aboriginal Association – Suicide Prevention of Aboriginal People
- Nature Play SA – Nature for Wellbeing
- Auspiced by Moonta Returned and Services League of Australia (Moonta Sub-Branch) – Station Squidders YP – Providing Purpose
- MATES in Construction SA – New Employee Induction Resource
- The Big Picture Creative Inc – Community Arts Program
- Specialised Assistance School for Youth (SASY) – RUOK Day Whole School Excursion
- Oakbank School – Community Garden and Outdoor Meeting Space
- Association of South Australian Blind Sporting Clubs Incorporated – Life Resilience Through Inclusive Sport Program
- Edmund Rice Community Services Limited – Volunteer to Connect
The Premier’s Advocate for Suicide Prevention, Nadia Clancy said community initiatives like these, and the grants that fund them, can make such an incredible difference for communities and the way people connect with one another.
“This is an opportunity for organisations who wouldn’t otherwise be able to run these projects and programs to kick start some wonderful work.
These grants are integral in supporting positive projects and support for community- based suicide prevention initiatives.
I look forward to seeing these projects come to fruition in 2024 and the long-lasting positive effects they have on the broader South Australian population.
