The Whisperer Team: Why This? Why Now? Why Us?
Why This?
In a February 2024 letter to the ACT Legislative Assembly, Suicide Prevention Australia said it was "concerned about the impacts of social isolation and loneliness on the risk of suicide. Although suicide is a complex human behaviour with many risk factors,
research demonstrates clear linkages of both social isolation and loneliness to suicide."
"Alternative and innovative approaches to addressing loneliness are emerging overseas. For example, ‘social prescribing’, which involves the process of healthcare providers referring people in the community to existing community-based non-clinical supports. These supports may include social support services, volunteering opportunities, arts activities, community gardens, and community groups. Research estimates that approximately 20% of people consult their GP for social issues."
"For suicide prevention to be effective, key people in the community should be actively engaged. This can include everyone from clinicians to frontline service workers and teachers, along with members of the broader community who often provide informal support, such as pharmacists or barbers."
"With appropriate evidence-based suicide prevention training, these connectors within communities are capable of having a conversation with a patient, customer, student or neighbour and provide vital assistance to help reduce their risk of suicide."
Read that letter here.
Furthermore, in October 2024, Suicide Prevention Australia prepared this submission to the public consultation for the Advice on the National Suicide Prevention Strategy draft. The Whisperer Team did not submit any information to Suicide Prevention Australia for its submission or the National Suicide Prevention Strategy draft independently.
It states:
"The National Strategy has identified that there is a need to build suicide prevention capability among members of the community and under action ko6.3a recommends the "promotion of suicide prevention training in the community". (It) advances learning
resources for suicide prevention to support a systemic approach to suicide prevention. The National Strategy should recommend that resources should be provided to make the Learnlinc Platform freely available to key community members in order to increase uptake of suicide prevention training in the community.
Funding of community controlled organisations: Adequate funding is crucial for community-controlled organisations to provide the necessary services and ensure that mainstream health services deliver safe and inclusive care. Experiences of marginalisation and discrimination are significant barriers for help seeking for many within marginalised priority populations, so increasing the number of mainstream services may not be effective without properly funding for community-controlled organisations. Many organisations already work with these populations, but they lack the funding to meet the demand. The strategy should include an action as a critical enabler that funding agencies should engage in regular reviews to ensure that funding flows directly to those programs
under community governance.
Critical missing aspects
(This section addresses the prompt question: Is there anything critical to preventing suicide in Australia, that the Advice on the Strategy does not address?)
In general, during consultations very few items were identified as missing. However, three critical omissions were identified that could strengthen the strategy:
• Suicide prevention legislation
• Further actions specifically on men, in response to the significantly disproportionate rate of death
• Workforce care and support"
The Whisperer Team suggests that community organisations, including, but not limited to, cafes, bars, restaurants, pubs, clubs and movie theatres, just to name a few, are adequate and in a prime position of being regarded as safe community spaces, provided there is staff compassionate enough and adequately trained in suicide prevention skills. This can be done voluntarily, with no need for legislation to enforce the uptake of suicide prevention within the community, as outlined as a "critical missing aspect" according to Suicide Prevention Australia.
It also questions why, when the suicide statistics clearly show that 7 of the 9 people who suicide in Australia every day are men, that SPA did not make further suggestions on what can be done regarding this statistic, especially given the popularity and growth of men's circles across the country, that address directly men's mental health and suicide ideation, and provide support in a free and low cost way.
The SPA's submission further states: "As outlined, in the Draft Strategy discussion paper, “At its heart, this Strategy asks governments, agencies, services, communities, and all members of the community to recognise their role in suicide prevention and work together to achieve change. There is no more essential task.”
Prime Minister, Hon Anthony Albanese MP, described the need for whole-of-government action on suicide prevention across multiple portfolios: "Family breakdown, sexual abuse, unemployment, financial loss or insecurity, homelessness, domestic and family violence, social isolation, drug or alcohol dependency – these are all possible contributors [to suicide]. That is why we are taking a whole-of-government approach aimed at reducing drivers of distress in their structural and systemic forms."
The Whisperer Team suggests that increased societal pressures, that the Government is largely responsible for, since 2020, has seen the rise in suicide and self harm in the community.
Family dynamics have changed due to outside pressures, including businesses enforcing COVID vaccine mandates on their workers with with little to no compensation for vaccine damaged people, as well as a rise in the cost of living and the dependency on fractional reserve banking through all Australian banks and credit unions to continue to fund the economy.
This is in addition to no change in the Federal Government's stance for calls to implement a Minister for Men, despite the statistics indicating 75% of all Australian suicides are completed by men.
Furthermore, there has been no change in policy addressing the stats that show 22% of 2023 Australian suicides were due to family relationship breakdowns.
Rounding out the top 3 reasons for death to suicide in Australia, is the loss of access to children, due to difficult family court rulings, as well as financial loss and hardship.
The SPA submission further states:
"The strength of the National Strategy lies in its whole-of-government, multi-jurisdictional vision, which embeds suicide prevention across agencies, into workforces, and into community responses.
The National Strategy has the capacity to create a cultural shift within government, with bipartisan support, so that suicide prevention is prioritised, and that evidence-based initiatives and activities are in place across Australia to adequately support people in suicidal distress and to prevent suicide."
Organisations associated with The Whisperer Team provide that connection and support, in places where people often go for connection.
These places, that welcome customers who are willing to show the SIGNS of suicide ideation (GLASS EMPTY Suicide Prevention Signal), provide staff who are encouraged to reach out and offer compassionate support with assistance from the peer-reviewed and evidence-based GLASS EMPTY Suicide Prevention Method. This is currently made available FREE to all staff and patrons who wish to learn it.
Finally the submission went on to state:
"Acknowledgements Statement
Suicide Prevention Australia acknowledges the unique and important understanding provided by people with lived and living experience. This knowledge and insight is critical in all aspects of suicide prevention policy, practice and research. Advice from individuals with lived experience helped guide the analysis and recommendations outlined in this submission.
As the national peak body for suicide prevention, our members are central to all that we do. Advice from our members, including the largest and many of the smallest organisations working in suicide prevention, as well as practitioners, researchers and community leaders is key to the development of our policy positions. Suicide Prevention Australia thanks all involved in the development of this submission."
Why Now?
There is a death to suicide every 40 seconds, somewhere around the world. In Australia, the figure has risen from 8 deaths to suicide to now 9 a day, on average, since 2020.
Clearly something isn't working.
What hasn't been done yet? Equipping people in the community who care, with free and easy to access suicide prevention skills, in the places where people feeling isolated and alone, go to seek comfort from others and that human connection that we all need.
A Suicide Prevention Signal, identifiable very easily wherever drinks are sold and coasters are used.
Often it's a pub or bar, a cafe, club or a movie theatre. These are places where drinks are served and where compassionate staff, who can recognise the SIGNS of suicide ideation and the GLASS EMPTY Suicide Prevention Signal when deployed, from those suffering with situational distress, can help.
Why Us?
The Whisperer Team is an Australian-originated grassroots organisation, with no ties, allegiences or sponsorships to any other organisations. There is no agenda, but to assist those who are suffering with suicide ideation, and doing it the best way possible, when friends, family or loved ones are not directly reached out to initially.
In the emergence of this organisation, and for the purposes of complete transparency, the first project, The Pub Whisperer, did receive two $1000 grants from two South Australian Rotary Clubs. However, it's independence remains in tact, and its allegience is to the people in the community providing the interventions and those whose lives are being saved every day because of these people providing this service.
It is currently reliant solely on the sales of coasters, which advertises the GLASS EMPTY website (www.glassempty.live) and other Pub Signals, with no desire for Government funding, nor does it seek donations (although they are gratefully accepted).
It believes that together we can create a world without suicide.
However, it requires a new way of thinking. It is not reliant on Government grants, but on great values being embraced and implemented - trust, respect, integrity, confidentiality, kindness and "your good self". These values are an acronym and are at the heart of having a TRICKY conversation around suicide.
A world where suicide no longer exists is not only possible, but likely, when we remember that when we see others experiencing tough times, that we are here to help see them through, with the hope that our kindness can role model positive behaviours (access to self awareness) and by doing so give them something to be grateful for (this can inspire positive change).
The Whisperer Team's founder, Jonathan Hart, is a father of 4, currently residing in Australia. He has experienced suicide ideation, multiple psychoses and mental illness. In November 2024 he was discharged from psychiatric care by his private psychiatrist as no longer having a "mental illness". That was 27 years after his initial diagnosis of "bipolar disorder" as a 20-year-old cadet journalist working for News Limited.
Jonathan believes anyone who has, or is experiencing, suicide ideation, can have a comeback. Self awareness and taking action to change things in one's life that are no longer serving them being the key.
Jonathan is a big believer in the following quotation from Shannon L. Alder: "Never give up on someone with a mental illness. When "I" is replaced with "We", "Illness" becomes "Wellness"."
Suicide interventions are documented and reported back to The Whisperer Team and followed up by the organisation if necessary.
The Whisperer Team became a member of Suicide Prevention Australia in April 2024 and presented the GLASS EMPTY - Suicide Prevention Signal to a panel of its staff online in September that year. It is still currently a member of SPA.
In a February 2024 letter to the ACT Legislative Assembly, Suicide Prevention Australia said it was "concerned about the impacts of social isolation and loneliness on the risk of suicide. Although suicide is a complex human behaviour with many risk factors,
research demonstrates clear linkages of both social isolation and loneliness to suicide."
"Alternative and innovative approaches to addressing loneliness are emerging overseas. For example, ‘social prescribing’, which involves the process of healthcare providers referring people in the community to existing community-based non-clinical supports. These supports may include social support services, volunteering opportunities, arts activities, community gardens, and community groups. Research estimates that approximately 20% of people consult their GP for social issues."
"For suicide prevention to be effective, key people in the community should be actively engaged. This can include everyone from clinicians to frontline service workers and teachers, along with members of the broader community who often provide informal support, such as pharmacists or barbers."
"With appropriate evidence-based suicide prevention training, these connectors within communities are capable of having a conversation with a patient, customer, student or neighbour and provide vital assistance to help reduce their risk of suicide."
Read that letter here.
Furthermore, in October 2024, Suicide Prevention Australia prepared this submission to the public consultation for the Advice on the National Suicide Prevention Strategy draft. The Whisperer Team did not submit any information to Suicide Prevention Australia for its submission or the National Suicide Prevention Strategy draft independently.
It states:
"The National Strategy has identified that there is a need to build suicide prevention capability among members of the community and under action ko6.3a recommends the "promotion of suicide prevention training in the community". (It) advances learning
resources for suicide prevention to support a systemic approach to suicide prevention. The National Strategy should recommend that resources should be provided to make the Learnlinc Platform freely available to key community members in order to increase uptake of suicide prevention training in the community.
Funding of community controlled organisations: Adequate funding is crucial for community-controlled organisations to provide the necessary services and ensure that mainstream health services deliver safe and inclusive care. Experiences of marginalisation and discrimination are significant barriers for help seeking for many within marginalised priority populations, so increasing the number of mainstream services may not be effective without properly funding for community-controlled organisations. Many organisations already work with these populations, but they lack the funding to meet the demand. The strategy should include an action as a critical enabler that funding agencies should engage in regular reviews to ensure that funding flows directly to those programs
under community governance.
Critical missing aspects
(This section addresses the prompt question: Is there anything critical to preventing suicide in Australia, that the Advice on the Strategy does not address?)
In general, during consultations very few items were identified as missing. However, three critical omissions were identified that could strengthen the strategy:
• Suicide prevention legislation
• Further actions specifically on men, in response to the significantly disproportionate rate of death
• Workforce care and support"
The Whisperer Team suggests that community organisations, including, but not limited to, cafes, bars, restaurants, pubs, clubs and movie theatres, just to name a few, are adequate and in a prime position of being regarded as safe community spaces, provided there is staff compassionate enough and adequately trained in suicide prevention skills. This can be done voluntarily, with no need for legislation to enforce the uptake of suicide prevention within the community, as outlined as a "critical missing aspect" according to Suicide Prevention Australia.
It also questions why, when the suicide statistics clearly show that 7 of the 9 people who suicide in Australia every day are men, that SPA did not make further suggestions on what can be done regarding this statistic, especially given the popularity and growth of men's circles across the country, that address directly men's mental health and suicide ideation, and provide support in a free and low cost way.
The SPA's submission further states: "As outlined, in the Draft Strategy discussion paper, “At its heart, this Strategy asks governments, agencies, services, communities, and all members of the community to recognise their role in suicide prevention and work together to achieve change. There is no more essential task.”
Prime Minister, Hon Anthony Albanese MP, described the need for whole-of-government action on suicide prevention across multiple portfolios: "Family breakdown, sexual abuse, unemployment, financial loss or insecurity, homelessness, domestic and family violence, social isolation, drug or alcohol dependency – these are all possible contributors [to suicide]. That is why we are taking a whole-of-government approach aimed at reducing drivers of distress in their structural and systemic forms."
The Whisperer Team suggests that increased societal pressures, that the Government is largely responsible for, since 2020, has seen the rise in suicide and self harm in the community.
Family dynamics have changed due to outside pressures, including businesses enforcing COVID vaccine mandates on their workers with with little to no compensation for vaccine damaged people, as well as a rise in the cost of living and the dependency on fractional reserve banking through all Australian banks and credit unions to continue to fund the economy.
This is in addition to no change in the Federal Government's stance for calls to implement a Minister for Men, despite the statistics indicating 75% of all Australian suicides are completed by men.
Furthermore, there has been no change in policy addressing the stats that show 22% of 2023 Australian suicides were due to family relationship breakdowns.
Rounding out the top 3 reasons for death to suicide in Australia, is the loss of access to children, due to difficult family court rulings, as well as financial loss and hardship.
The SPA submission further states:
"The strength of the National Strategy lies in its whole-of-government, multi-jurisdictional vision, which embeds suicide prevention across agencies, into workforces, and into community responses.
The National Strategy has the capacity to create a cultural shift within government, with bipartisan support, so that suicide prevention is prioritised, and that evidence-based initiatives and activities are in place across Australia to adequately support people in suicidal distress and to prevent suicide."
Organisations associated with The Whisperer Team provide that connection and support, in places where people often go for connection.
These places, that welcome customers who are willing to show the SIGNS of suicide ideation (GLASS EMPTY Suicide Prevention Signal), provide staff who are encouraged to reach out and offer compassionate support with assistance from the peer-reviewed and evidence-based GLASS EMPTY Suicide Prevention Method. This is currently made available FREE to all staff and patrons who wish to learn it.
Finally the submission went on to state:
"Acknowledgements Statement
Suicide Prevention Australia acknowledges the unique and important understanding provided by people with lived and living experience. This knowledge and insight is critical in all aspects of suicide prevention policy, practice and research. Advice from individuals with lived experience helped guide the analysis and recommendations outlined in this submission.
As the national peak body for suicide prevention, our members are central to all that we do. Advice from our members, including the largest and many of the smallest organisations working in suicide prevention, as well as practitioners, researchers and community leaders is key to the development of our policy positions. Suicide Prevention Australia thanks all involved in the development of this submission."
Why Now?
There is a death to suicide every 40 seconds, somewhere around the world. In Australia, the figure has risen from 8 deaths to suicide to now 9 a day, on average, since 2020.
Clearly something isn't working.
What hasn't been done yet? Equipping people in the community who care, with free and easy to access suicide prevention skills, in the places where people feeling isolated and alone, go to seek comfort from others and that human connection that we all need.
A Suicide Prevention Signal, identifiable very easily wherever drinks are sold and coasters are used.
Often it's a pub or bar, a cafe, club or a movie theatre. These are places where drinks are served and where compassionate staff, who can recognise the SIGNS of suicide ideation and the GLASS EMPTY Suicide Prevention Signal when deployed, from those suffering with situational distress, can help.
Why Us?
The Whisperer Team is an Australian-originated grassroots organisation, with no ties, allegiences or sponsorships to any other organisations. There is no agenda, but to assist those who are suffering with suicide ideation, and doing it the best way possible, when friends, family or loved ones are not directly reached out to initially.
In the emergence of this organisation, and for the purposes of complete transparency, the first project, The Pub Whisperer, did receive two $1000 grants from two South Australian Rotary Clubs. However, it's independence remains in tact, and its allegience is to the people in the community providing the interventions and those whose lives are being saved every day because of these people providing this service.
It is currently reliant solely on the sales of coasters, which advertises the GLASS EMPTY website (www.glassempty.live) and other Pub Signals, with no desire for Government funding, nor does it seek donations (although they are gratefully accepted).
It believes that together we can create a world without suicide.
However, it requires a new way of thinking. It is not reliant on Government grants, but on great values being embraced and implemented - trust, respect, integrity, confidentiality, kindness and "your good self". These values are an acronym and are at the heart of having a TRICKY conversation around suicide.
A world where suicide no longer exists is not only possible, but likely, when we remember that when we see others experiencing tough times, that we are here to help see them through, with the hope that our kindness can role model positive behaviours (access to self awareness) and by doing so give them something to be grateful for (this can inspire positive change).
The Whisperer Team's founder, Jonathan Hart, is a father of 4, currently residing in Australia. He has experienced suicide ideation, multiple psychoses and mental illness. In November 2024 he was discharged from psychiatric care by his private psychiatrist as no longer having a "mental illness". That was 27 years after his initial diagnosis of "bipolar disorder" as a 20-year-old cadet journalist working for News Limited.
Jonathan believes anyone who has, or is experiencing, suicide ideation, can have a comeback. Self awareness and taking action to change things in one's life that are no longer serving them being the key.
Jonathan is a big believer in the following quotation from Shannon L. Alder: "Never give up on someone with a mental illness. When "I" is replaced with "We", "Illness" becomes "Wellness"."
Suicide interventions are documented and reported back to The Whisperer Team and followed up by the organisation if necessary.
The Whisperer Team became a member of Suicide Prevention Australia in April 2024 and presented the GLASS EMPTY - Suicide Prevention Signal to a panel of its staff online in September that year. It is still currently a member of SPA.
