Reconciliation
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Acknowledgement of Country
Lifeline South Coast acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Countries throughout the region we serve, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, their cultures, and Elders both past and present.
Message from Lifeline South Coast CEO, Renee Green
At Lifeline South Coast we recognise reconciliation as a crucial aspect of our work. As the longest continuing culture in the world, suicide was not part of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. No word exists to describe suicide in the ancient Yolngu language. However today we see the devastating and disproportionate impacts of suicide across Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities. We respect the strength and dignity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples while acknowledging that past injustices and continuing challenges facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are a significant contributor to increased risk of suicide. We recognise the role our actions, individually and as an organisation, towards reconciliation can play in reducing suicide and its impacts.
Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Working Group
We are seeking to improve our service delivery for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, create a solid foundation for continuing our work with local communities, and develop culturally responsive and effective programs. To achieve this we recognise the need to strengthen the cultural competence of our organisation, and to develop meaningful and productive relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and organisations.
As the starting point of our reconciliation efforts, our RAP Working Group is helping us build and encourage relationships with local First Nations communities, and improve our service delivery.
13YARN Service
Lifeline South Coast was one of the first centres in Australia to provide the 13 YARN (13 92 76) service, a national 24/7 crisis support line for mob who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping.
If you are interested in finding out more about becoming a 13YARN Crisis Supporter, Lifeline South Coast has regular Crisis Support information nights, which you can register your interest for. Alternatively, please feel free to reach out to our training team on cswt@llsc.org.au.
Scholarships are available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for this training course, and there is also an opportunity for pathway to paid employment on 13 YARN, the national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis support service.
Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)
In September 2022 Lifeline South Coast’s Innovate RAP was formally endorsed by Reconciliation Australia.
We have made commitments within our Innovate RAP to support Lifeline South Coast to gain a deeper understanding of our area of influence, and establish the best approach to advance reconciliation.
We seek to uplift and support the emotional and social wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples alongside our vision of an Australia free of suicide.
We make a tangible commitment in addressing the disproportionately lower social, physical, and mental health challenges that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples face.
We will strengthen a partnership of mutual respect, teaching and learning as we look to work more with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
We will identify and strengthen protective factors in the work we do in supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Lifeline South Coast’s Innovate RAP can be accessed here.
Get Involved
We welcome you to get involved with Lifeline South Coast, there are plenty of opportunities. This may be through volunteering as a Crisis Supporter, a Retail or Book Sorting team member, at our Big Book Fairs or as an Ambassador. We also have employment opportunities that we invite you to take a look at.
For information regarding any aspect of Lifeline South Coast’s Reconciliation journey, please email our RAP Project Officer, Dannyelle at dannyelle.formosa@llsc.org.au
