WGAR News: New report indicates one in twenty First Peoples deaths classify as suicide: Gerry Georgatos, CAAMA

Newsletter date: 23 May 2015

Contents:

* Audio Interview: CAAMA: New report indicates one in twenty first peoples deaths classify as suicide [Featuring Gerry Georgatos, veteran human rights campaigner]
* About CAAMA: Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA): http://caama.com.au/

* Analysis / Opinion: Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: People strengthening people - focus on suicide prevention
* Analysis / Opinion: Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: Suicides are preventable - here is what we must begin to do
* Bio: Gerry Georgatos - The Stringer

* Media Roundup: Linksunten Indymedia: How an Australian Aboriginal family turned their sister's death into a youth suicide prevention group

* Report: Culture Is Life: Promoting community led solutions to Indigenous youth suicide: The Elders Report

* Crisis Support - Talk to Someone - 24-hours/day 7-days/week:
Lifeline - Crisis Support and Suicide Prevention: 13 11 14 https://www.lifeline.org.au/Get-Help/
Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/
Beyond Blue - Talk it through with us: 1300 22 4636 http://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support

* WGAR Background to Suicide and Self-harm in First Nations Communities

* Project: Ground Up Community Support Network: Gija Language and Culture Classes

WGAR News Public Google Group: https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en-GB#!forum/wgar-news
WGAR News - Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)

- Audio Interview

Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA): New report indicates one in twenty first peoples deaths classify as suicide
[Featuring Gerry Georgatos, veteran human rights campaigner]
http://caama.com.au/new-report-indicates-one-in-twenty-first-peoples-dea...
19 May 15: "A Western Australian based suicide prevention researcher has described an unprecedented rise in suicide rates within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population as a ‘humanitarian crisis’. A new report indicates one in twenty of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths classify as suicide, an alarming increase ... Gerry Georgatos is calling for further discussion and a cultural shift at the national level. Mr Georgatos ... says despite the many beneficial suicide prevention services available rates will continue to rise because of existing social determinates and a lack of support from the Government."

About CAAMA
http://caama.com.au/
The Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA) began operations in 1980 and was the first Aboriginal group to be allocated a broadcasting license. The Aboriginal people of Central Australia own CAAMA through an association regulated under the Incorporations Act , and its objectives focus on the social, cultural and economic advancement of Aboriginal peoples. ... CAAMA produces media products that engenders pride in Aboriginal culture, while informing and educating the wider community of the richness and diversity of the Aboriginal peoples of Australia."

Why donate? CAAMA
http://caama.com.au/caama/donations#why-donate
http://caama.com.au/caama/donations
"We are committed to creating and sustaining the Indigenous Language and Cultures of Australia, creating employment opportunities for indigenous people in radio and film and communicating information to the indigenous peoples to assist them to live a full and healthy life. Through supporting CAAMA, you can help us train indigenous radio broadcasters, musicians and other positions in the film industry such as directors, writers, and photographers."

- Analysis / Opinion

The Stringer: People strengthening people - focus on suicide prevention
http://thestringer.com.au/people-strengthening-people-focus-on-suicide-p...
9 Mar 15: "Suicidal behaviour does not mean that someone wants to die, this is another dangerous myth. Suicidal behaviour is a scream for help – people need people. It is a fallacy to presume ‘self-responsibility’ as a way forward for someone in a dark place. People need people to strengthen their resolve to the ways forward. Suicidal behaviour is destructive behaviour that can lead to impulsive actions such as a suicide attempt. Access to emotional support can save lives. It may never be realised this was the case but person to person support is a huge factor in the improving and saving of lives. ... " By Gerry Georgatos, a life-long human rights and social justice campaigner, a multi-award winning investigative journalist. His predominant work is in suicide prevention research and in unveiling racism and in articulating the ways forward.

- Analysis / Opinion

The Stringer: Suicides are preventable - here is what we must begin to do
http://thestringer.com.au/suicides-are-preventable-here-is-what-we-must-...
26 Feb 15: " ... It is important to listen to people. It is imperative. It is a dangerous myth that people who talk about suicide do not mean to do it. For goodness sake, people who talk about suicide are in trouble, they are screaming out for help. People need people. Suicidal ideation journeys grief, anguish, anxiety, depressions, the sense of failure, identity crises, the sense of hopelessness. The majority of people who are talking about ending their lives are thinking about doing this. There needs to be calm and patience but concomitant with a sense of urgency, even if this means just being there, even if a word is not shared - but people need people. We may not get our words right but what we must get right is that the other understands, even in any silence, that we are there for them. ... " By Gerry Georgatos

Gerry Georgatos - The Stringer
http://thestringer.com.au/gerry-georgatos-contributing-editor-and-journa...
"Gerry Georgatos’ campaigns in recent years in highlighting the extensiveness of the suicide crises globally, nationally and among First Peoples in countries with relatively recent colonial oppressor histories are second to none. He has become the most voluminous writer in the nation on the extensiveness of suicide and on the immediate ways forward. The Stringer, The National Indigenous Times and The National Indigenous Radio Services, collectively, have published more than 200 contributions by Georgatos in the last 18 months alone. ... "

Fund The Stringer
http://thestringer.com.au/fund-the-stringer
"We know how much you like reading the news on The Stringer website. If you’d like to help us continue to shine a massive great big flood lamp on the political injustices of this country and, indeed, the world then please contribute whatever you feel able to using the form below. ... "

- Media Roundup

Linksunten Indymedia: How an Australian Aboriginal family turned their sister's death into a youth suicide prevention group
https://linksunten.indymedia.org/de/node/143547
17 May 15: ""Suicide was unknown to Aboriginal people prior to invasion. Appalling living conditions and past traumas have led to a suicide rate that by far exceeds that of non-Aboriginal people," writes Jens-Uwe Korff, a German born Australian who runs his "Creative Spirits", a widely visited and multi-awarded website in Australia. The article includes sections on selected statistics, "Death is our life" - Aboriginal suicide at crisis levels, Aboriginal suicide epidemic, why do Aboriginal people kill themselves?, effects of suicide and overcoming the suicide crisis. ... "

- Report

Culture Is Life: Promoting community led solutions to Indigenous youth suicide: The Elders Report
http://www.cultureislife.org/#!elders-speak/cw9
"One of the initial actions of the Culture Is Life campaign was the development of the Elders Report on Preventing Indigenous Self Harm and Youth Suicide. Culture Is Life representatives traveled across the country, gathering vital messages from senior Elders about the solutions needed to solve the youth suicide crisis. These voices form the heart of the campaign, which acts to press community concerns upon Government and service providers on the best ways forward for their communities. The Elders Report has now been published, and is available for download and sharing. ... "

Support the campaign - Culture Is Life
http://www.cultureislife.org/#!donate/csvm
"Culture Is Life is an independent Elders-led campaign to support and promote community driven solutions to Indigenous youth suicide. Through the Be Part of The Healing project, the campaign aims to raise widespread public awareness of the isue, and raise much needed funds for community driven suicide prevention programs. We need your support to create a nation-wide movement for the First Australians. Together, we can help to restore the balance of life for Indigenous youth and future generations. ... "

- Crisis Support - Talk to Someone - 24-hours/day 7-days/week:

Emergency:
For immediate assistance when life may be in danger
Call 000
https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/emergency

Lifeline's 24/7 hotline
13 11 14
Crisis Support and Suicide Prevention services
https://www.lifeline.org.au/Get-Help/

Suicide Call Back Service
1300 659 467
Twenty-four hours a day seven days a week
The Suicide Call Back Service provides free nationwide professional telephone and online counselling for anyone affected by suicide.
https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/

Beyond Blue
1300 22 4636
Depression. Anxiety.
Talk it through with us, day or night
http://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support

Useful national contact numbers - Suicide Prevention Crisis Contacts
http://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Suicide_Pr...

Mens Line
1300 78 99 78
MensLine Australia is a professional telephone and online support and information service for Australian men
http://www.mensline.org.au/

Kids Help Line
1800 55 1800
aged 5 - 25 yrs
http://www.kidshelp.com.au/

- Background

WGAR Background to Suicide and Self-harm in First Nations Communities
https://indymedia.org.au/2014/12/24/wgar-background-to-suicide-and-self-...
(last updated: 17 May 2015)

- Project

Ground Up Community Support Network: Gija Language and Culture Classes
http://www.pozible.com/project/194897
" ... This crucially important weekly language teaching and maintenance program enables Gija Elders in Warmun, a large Aboriginal community in the Kimberley region in the north-eastern part of Western Australia, to pass their knowledge of Gija language and culture to their family and community members. Many important people in the community who hold Gija cultural knowledge are elderly and there is an urgency for this knowledge to be passed on. There is currently very limited support for language programs such as this in the region and we hope that the program that is funded by this campaign will help to establish a more permanent funding source for similar programs into the future. The program will be held at the Warmun Art Centre and out on bush trips. ... "

- - -

WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)

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WGAR: Working Group for Aboriginal Rights (Australia)