Building Bridges: Learning From the Experts. Building Bridges to Implement Successful Life Promotion and Suicide Prevention Expertise Across Aboriginal Communities

This report describes the implementation & findings of a community-based suicide prevention initiative. The project aimed to use the experience & knowledge of the Yarrabah community as a model for other indigenous communities for the establishment of effective & sustainable community-based approaches to building resilience, reducing suicide risk exposure, & reducing self-harm. An accompanying series of indepth interviews were undertaken in which community members’ perspectives & views about suicide were canvassed. An innovative IT/multimedia program complemented & provided a record of community experience which helped to inform community understandings of suicide & recovery. The report also discusses the various challenges that were encountered. JA