Calling All Volunteers

Rapid Response

Counties Manukau band together to address youth suicide

 

In 2010 there were 30 confirmed Pacific deaths by suicide for the total NZ population.

 

Between April 2011 and November 2011, there have been 18-22 deaths by suicide in the Counties Manukau district alone.

 

This dramatic spike has seen the Ministry of Health CMDHB and other service providers band together to provide a Pacific rapid ‘on the ground’ response.

 

Youthline has been requested to respond through the Youth Health funding team of CMDHB.  Youthline Auckland CEO, Stephen Bell says Youthline’s response needs to be youth and Pacific peoples centred.

 

“The most prevalent ethnic group is Tongan and a significant proportion of the victims were from Mangere and aged between 15 and 24 years - this is the demographic we need to target.”

 

The objectives of the rapid response plan include raising community awareness around Pacific suicide prevention, ensuring appropriate and accessible service coverage is in place for Pacific young people and their families and working to remove the stigma and shame associated with suicide and mental illness.

 

Youthline is going to use a cross organisational approach to fulfil all the objectives of the plan and may see an increase in usage of their text support service and helpline service. Youthline is calling for more volunteers over this time to roster on for shifts to ensure that young people reaching out will receive support.

 

“Some of the activities we will undertake include developing key resources for the Pacific community with the input of the CMDHB Youth Advisory group, implementing a txt campaign with young people, holding community events to raise awareness about support services and contributing to a suicide prevention media campaign,” says Mr Bell.

 

“In many cases we will be working in with existing services – just strengthening and adding to them where we can,” he adds.

 

The overall goal of this rapid response is to have zero youth suicides over the Christmas period.

 

“Although Christmas is generally considered a ‘happy’ time of year it can mean huge amounts of family stress which in turn negatively affects young people – as an organisation we need to reach out to young people and make them aware that we are here to listen and support them.”

 

Key Facts:

•   Tongans are the most prevalent of the ethnic groups

•   males have higher rates of suicide when compared to females, except for the Tongan population where females have the higher rate
•   most of the suicide deaths have occurred with young people aged 15-24 years
•   a significant proportion of the victims were from Mangere however we have been advised that the spread is greater than Mangere
•   ‘relationship issues’ were a prevalent factor