Albany Creek Excelsior (ACE) has signed-up for Mateship Matters, a new free suicide awareness program specifically designed to be run in and by sports clubs.
The program is being trialled in the Moreton Bay and north Brisbane regions. So far 12 clubs, including ACE and Moreton bay United (MBU), have rolled out training or are about to.
Mateship Matters will make its first presentation to members of ACE and MBU on Monday (September 7) in the clubhouse at South Pine Sports Complex, Brendale at 7pm.
All club members of any age are welcome to attend the free session which will be run by qualified personnel. ACE committee and MBU board members will be present.
“Mateship Matters is a suicide prevention program to curb the high levels of suicide in Australia. Suicide is the leading cause of death for young Australians aged 15 to 45” said Caine Ansell, the MATES QLD field officer and project manager for the program rollout.
“The skills you will learn, how to identify what suicidal distress looks like, how to offer help, these are skills you can take with you everywhere.
“You can use them with team-mates, but also when talking to friends and family, because our aim overall is to make suicide-safer communities.”
ACE President Tony Dooley said he fully supports the program adding it was particularly relevant now with the challenges everyone continues to face during the COVID pandemic.
Moreton Bay United chairman Ben Parkin said the program would operate in a friendly, unobtrusive way and help raise awareness of all aspects of mental health and well-being.
Mateship Matters, based in Spring Hill, is funded by the Brisbane North Primary Health Network, as part of the National Suicide Prevention Trial. It launched last year and since COVID restrictions eased in July, interest has grown especially in this region which has nine of the 12 signatories.
All who attend will have a 45-minute General Awareness Training (GAT) session to understand the problem of suicide and learn about why “it’s okay to talk”.
Volunteer Connectors are then trained to link at-risk members with professional help and ASIST volunteers are further trained to talk to those in crisis and create a help plan. Mateship Matters field officers stay in contact with clubs and volunteers offering support and further training.
For more visit mateshipmatters.org.au
