Lifesaving skills and qualifications in suicide prevention roles are being delivered in remote western NSW communities like Cobar, Bourke, Brewarrina, Walgett, Grenfell and Condobolin through the Workforce Training Program being delivered by Lachlan and Western Regional Services Inc. (LWRS)
Funded as part of WNSW PHN’s Workforce Capacity Building Project under the Australian Government’s National Suicide Prevention Trial, the program, which supplies scholarships to train people in Community Services Cert IV and a Diploma, has so far trained 39 people, many Aboriginal, all of whom have gained employment in their respective helping industries.
Designed in co-ordination with Verto, all units in the Certificate IV and the Diploma courses were specifically selected to provide trainees with the skills needed to support people at risk of suicide and their families, while also covering drug and alcohol abuse and domestic violence.
Scholarships were granted to disadvantaged students living in rural and remote areas, covering all course, technology requirements and associated travel expenses, with all 28 scholarship recipients from 2018 to 2020 successfully graduating.
LWRS Workforce Training Coordinator, Julie Hague, has credited the program’s success to its structure.
“As the scholarships from WNSW PHN targeted very disadvantaged areas and disadvantaged students, the financial assistance through the program and the intensive individual tutoring allowed students to gain confidence as well as eliminate problems and barriers to their successful completion of the Cert IV.
“In conjunction with Verto, we were able to tailor a Cert IV course specific to understanding suicide, as well as a Diploma course for those who had already completed Cert IV.”
Ms Hague added, “Our most recent program completed in June with five students, three of whom are Aboriginal, graduating from the Cert IV and 10 completing Diplomas, six of whom are Aboriginal.”
“There is such a great demand, and we are looking forward to continuing to contribute to the development of these lifesaving skills in remote communities,” said Ms Hague.
WNSW PHN CEO, Andrew Coe, says such training opportunities are vital for the continued development of a local workforce with qualifications and a passion for improving the mental health and well-being of the communities in which they live.
“WNSW PHN is proud to be providing funding for this initiative, and I encourage everybody with an interest in learning about Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Awareness to take advantage of the next round of opportunities that are on offer,” Mr Coe said.
The current round has finished recruiting and will commence orientation this week. If you would like to know more, please contact LWRS on 02 6895 3301.
A Western NSW Primary Health Network (WNSW PHN) Press Release.