North Waikato rural suicide prevention

North Waikato rural suicide prevention

Y Suicide North Waikato is a collective of concerned community members and organizations coming together to help prevent suicide.

Operating since 2011, the group’s common goal is to create a suicide safer North Waikato. A vision that seems just as important today as it did four years ago for Phil Webber, one of the groups founding members and rural spokesperson.

“The real work happens here, on the ground at grass roots level, not through some campaign on a billboard.” Says Mrs Webber.

"When we look around the room every month its agencies like Population Health, Lifeline, Progress to Health, Waahi Whanui, the Police who are here and working with us to strengthen our community.”

Mrs Webber is challenging other rural communities across North Waikato to join with them to form a rural suicide prevention action plan.

“Rural health and wellbeing is important to us in North Waikato. We may be right next door to Auckland but we are rural, with rural needs and rural responses.” she says.

Mrs Webber is inviting people to attend the Y Suicide Community Conversations event with Coroner Gordon Matenga, in Huntly on the 5th of October.

“As part of mental health awareness week put suicide prevention on the agenda. Come along and listen to speakers tackling this issue from different perspectives.”

Other organizations working with Y Suicide North Waikato are Volunteering Waikato, Huntly Its NOT OK and concerned members of the public.

What: Community Conversations with Coroner Gordon Matenga
When: Monday 5th October, 10-2pm
Where: Huntly Civic Centre, Main Street

ENDS

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