This tool was developed by a group of passionate researchers aiming to better equip professionals and the community to detect and respond to suicide risk.

Suicide is the leading cause of death of Australians aged 15-44 years and 4th leading cause of death for ages 45+.

Most people thinking about suicide (70-90%) don’t seek professional help, instead indicating their distress to family and friends.

Most family and friends (75%) do not help due to fear and uncertainty – this is called the Bystander Effect.

“The Bystander Effect:
We are less likely to help if others could.
‘Someone should really do something about that.’
‘Someone should check on them.”

50% of people who die by suicide had no diagnosed mental illness, instead suffering from immediate distress such as discrimination, bullying and/or hopelessness.

The community can help in the early detection of suicide risk, linking vulnerable people to professional support and potentially saving lives.

What makes this tool different to existing resources?

Free
Online so no need to attend long and expensive workshops
Interactive
Does not rely on memory of a once-off training
Includes specific information about vulnerable populations who are at higher risk and often missed in general suicide prevention training including:
- Autistic and neuro-diverse people
- Disabled people
- The LGBTIQAP+ community
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- Men
- Culturally and Linguistically Diverse people
- Veterans
- People living in rural communities
Theory informed – the tool is informed by the Bystander Intervention Model to overcome the Bystander Effect
Evidence based – the tool has been tested for efficacy and found to increase user’s confidence, intent, readiness and skill in detecting and responding to suicide risk in others in studies involving over 900 people.