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Connect, Reach out,
Heal our way
About Heal Our Way

Heal Our Way is a NSW Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Campaign funded by NSW Ministry of Health under the Towards Zero Suicides (TZS), and is led by Cox Inall Ridgeway in partnership with Aboriginal Communities within NSW.

The aim of this campaign is to raise awareness of suicide within Aboriginal communities in NSW and to encourage help seeking from community by equipping them with the skills to have safe conversations around suicide and empowering Aboriginal communities to reach out for support.

Heal Our Way recognises that cultural identity, belonging and connectedness are central to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander wellbeing and are protective factors that assist in managing life stressors.

The TZS Statewide Community Response Package for Aboriginal People will be delivered across NSW through awareness raising and engaging services through the:

  • Development and implementation of a social media campaign and other promotional campaigns happening within communities;
  • Development and implementation of support tools and resources; and
  • On ground activations including Community events and strengths-based yarning circles.

About Heal Our Way

Heal Our Way is a NSW Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Campaign funded by NSW Ministry of Health under the Towards Zero Suicides (TZS), and is led by Cox Inall Ridgeway in partnership with Aboriginal Communities within NSW.

The aim of this campaign is to raise awareness of suicide within Aboriginal communities in NSW and to encourage help seeking from community by equipping them with the skills to have safe
conversations around suicide and empowering Aboriginal communities to reach out for support.

Heal Our Way recognises that cultural identity, belonging and connectedness are central to
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander wellbeing and are protective factors that assist in managing life stressors.

The TZS Statewide Community Response Package for Aboriginal People will be delivered across NSW through awareness raising and engaging services through the:

  • Development and implementation of a social media campaign and other promotional campaigns happening within communities;
  • Development and implementation of support tools and resources; and
  • On ground activations including Community events and strengths-based yarning circles.
Video case studies

Uncle George Ellis: Lived experience of suicide
Watch case study
Kerry Smith: The importance of culturally safe workforces and services
Watch case study
Paul Spirum: The importance of raising awareness of suicide
Watch case study
Ronald Prince: The importance of talking about suicide
Watch case study
Ronald Prince: Importance of seeking support
Watch case study
Shannay Holmes: Lived experience and the importance of seeking support
Watch case study
Uncle Michael ‘Widdy’ Welsh: The importance of recognising grief behaviours
Watch case study

Guide to safe conversations comic

The comic is about having a safe conversation about suicide.

It is demonstrating the importance of noticing if someone seems unhappy, withdrawn, or there is a change in their behaviour.

About the comic

As Aunt is walking past, she notices that the young adolescent male is upset. She asks him what is wrong, but he refuses to tell.

It is important here that she does not leave him or walk away. She gently persists with her questioning and sits down beside him to comfort him. She speaks to him about what she is noticing and acknowledges the difficulty in talking about emotions and feelings. Through this she is reassuring him that talking about his feelings may make him feel better.

She acknowledges strength in culture through reminding him that he is never alone because our ancestors are protecting us.

Through her gentle yarning and checking in, he eventually opens up and tells her what is wrong.
Aunt directly asks him whether he has been thinking about suicide or killing himself. It is important not to avoid this question and the use of language is important. You must ask directly whether they are thinking about or have they had thoughts of suicide, or had or having thoughts of killing themselves or wishing that they were dead.

He tells Aunt that he has had thoughts of killing himself. She takes this very seriously and that is exactly the right thing to do.

Aunt asks a specific question about whether he has a plan. Again, this is very important as it further indicates significant risk. The young male says that he doesn’t have a plan but that does not make it less serious as the threat of suicide may indicate just how badly that person is feeling and that continues to be a concern.
It is important that you always believe the person. It is important that you never promise to keep it a secret and that you have to tell someone to keep them safe.

Aunt acknowledges his feelings and thanks him for telling her.

She offers her support and says that she would accompany him to the doctor to discuss it further. She then further offers her support to go to his home and speak with his parents.

Aunt never leaves him alone and supports him through the next steps to ensure he is safe. She also discusses with him about other services they could reach out to.

Aunt does a deadly job!

Read the Guide
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Stakeholder kit

This stakeholder kit enables services to access a range of resources and activities, including:
  • Social media campaign
  • Comic – safe conversation around suicide
  • Video case studies
  • Written case studies
  • Guide to running a strengths-based yarning circle
  • Guide to working with community
  • Activities – Booklet across life span
See stakeholder kit
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Written case studies

DubboAMS SEWB Worker
DubboAMS SEWB Worker
DOWNLOAD
James Sheather
DOWNLOAD
Kerry Smith
DOWNLOAD
Uncle JJ
DOWNLOAD
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Heal Our Way resources

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Other programs and resources

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Contact us

FOR GENERAL AND MEDIA ENQUIRIES

Email: information@coxinallridgeway.com.au


FOR CAMPAIGN UPDATES FOLLOW COX INALL RIDGEWAY ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook: facebook.com/CIRidgeway

Instagram: instagram.com/coxinallridgeway/

The Artwork
When creating this work it was important that it felt positive. I wanted viewers to be able to look at this work and find comfort in the stories represented in each layer. I want this artwork to show what you can be, and who you are now, and all of the positive things you bring to the world, rather than focus on how sad it is when life is over. This is about celebrating the person who is here with us because I think so often we forget to do that until it’s too late.
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