A central Victorian suicide prevention campaign has received global recognition.
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Hope Assistance Local Tradies founder Jeremy Forbes featured in a TED Talk about approaching suicide prevention with a community perspective.
TED is a non-profit organisation which is dedicated to spreading ideas and programs via its internet channel.
In his speech, Forbes highlighted the importance of why a whole community approach was important to suicide prevention around the world.
“Part of my talk is a call to action for everyone across the world who watches the talk, I want them to go and have the difficult and tough conversations about mental health,” Mr Forbes said.
“We want people from around the world to email Hope Assistance Local Tradies.
“We will put them up on our website so other people who are struggling can learn how to have the conversation and to be inspired and motivated.”
Mr Forbes founded HALT in 2013 with the aim to raise awareness about mental health after the suicide of a tradie in a regional Victorian community.
During the TED talk Mr Forbes discussed how Castlemaine was a supportive community and the ways in which they inspired him to create HALT.
“I thought creating HALT would be a really good way for me to give back to the town,” he said.
Mr Forbes was pleased the Hope Assistance Local Tradies campaign for suicide prevention had received global attention.
“It’s taking HALT and its suicide prevention campaign to a global audience,” he said.
“I would love to get up a global suicide prevention movement and this TED talk is the perfect platform to do so.
“It’s a call to action for the global community to become involved in suicide prevention.”
During the talk Mr Forbes also discussed the origins of HALT, the process of founding the campaign, highlighting key points around listening to others and having conversations with your friends.
“I would like to thank the Westpac Bicentennial Foundation that gave me my social change fellowship that kick-started my journey,” he said.
“The TED talk I was involved in was an event partnered with Westpac which gave me the opportunity to do the talk.”
