The Rotary Club of Mossman has donated $1,000 towards suicide prevention workshops for the staff of Mossman High School.

Theo Schlub, President of the Mossman Rotary Club presented the cheque for $1,000 to Katie Cole, Coordinator of the Telephone Crisis Support Unit yesterday.

“We felt that it was our community responsibility to financially support the Uniting Care Lifeline training program in understanding and managing mental health issues which may affect some of the students at our local high school," Mr Schlub said.  

"It’s not often that ordinary people are in a position to help save lives, but with help from Australian Rotary Health they can do just that.”

Make your business move  - advertise on The Newsport - 07 4099 5122

The donation will cover the cost of training 30 people in the local Mossman area, and will enable them to recognise when people are having thoughts of suicide, become more alert to prevention opportunities and offer the right sort of help that increases their safety.

“This training will make a significant impact in the local community by increasing the awareness around suicide issues and teaching ways to help those who are having suicidal thoughts,” Ms Cole said.

Ms Cole has been running Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) and Suicide Alertness for Everyone (safeTALK) workshops for several years at UnitingCare Community. 

Several hundred people have received training during this time from all walks of life including government organisations, social workers and people in the general community.

The training has helped them when working with people at risk to increase their immediate safety and get further help.

The next ASIST two-day workshop is being held on October 8-9 at a cost of $220 per person and the next four-hour safeTALK workshop is being held on September 14 at a cost of $55 per person. Concession rates will apply for both workshops.

For further details of how you or your organisation can receive this training, please contact Katie Cole on 4050 4955 or via email at lifeline.fnq@uccommunity.org.au.

Read more of today's news. Check out The Newsport home page.