Expression of Interest: Becoming an Alternatives to Suicide (Alt2Su) Peer Group Facilitator in South Australia Survey

Expression of Interest: Becoming an Alternatives to Suicide (Alt2Su) Peer Group Facilitator in South

About the Embedding Alternatives to Suicide (Alt2Su) Project:

In 2022 LELAN brought the Alternatives to Suicide (Alt2Su) approach to South Australia. Alternatives to Suicide was developed by the Wildflower Alliance (formerly the Western Mass Recovery Learning Community) in the US. Alt2Su peer-led community-based groups centre mutual connection and meaning making around suicide distress, thoughts and experiences. They offer non-clinical spaces where people can be honest about their experiences without fear of forced treatment, other forms of coercion, or risk assessment that shuts conversation down.

Following an independent evaluation of the Embedding Alt2Su project, LELAN continues to act as guardian for a number of Alt2Su peer support groups here in South Australia.

LELAN's guardianship role includes responsibility to facilitators trained in the Alt2Su approach, including holding insurance, promotion and admin of groups, as well as offering ongoing training, debriefing and group reflective practice to facilitators, to ensure fidelity to Wildflower's model and the Charter that underpins it.

Eligibility:

Alternatives to Suicide Peer Group Facilitator Training is available to people aged over 18 in South Australia with a personal lived experience of suicide distress, who want to facilitate Alt2Su groups. Facilitators need to be willing to openly identify as such in the groups. Applicants will need to be ready, willing and able to commit to facilitating the groups once completing the training.

Whilst the project is being funded, Alt2Su facilitators receive an honorarium per group for contributing their lived expertise. To be an Alt2Su facilitator, you will need to have all appropriate police and/or working with children checks.

3-Day Alt2Su Peer Group Facilitator Training:

The next 3-day Alt2Su Peer Group Facilitator Training session is scheduled for March 30th - April 1st. Attendance at all sessions is required to successfully complete the training.

About the Training:

Facilitator training will be held in person in the Adelaide CBD over three days (9am to 5pm). At the end of the training, trainees will receive a certificate that is internationally recognised.

If you want to be an Alt2Su Peer Group Facilitator respond to the questions below. Expressions of Interest close Monday March 16th at 5pm and people will be notified soon after. If you need to know sooner than Friday March 20th (for example to get time off work) please let us know in the comment box at the end of the survey.

For further information, visit www.lelan.org.au/alt2su or contact us via email at alt2su@lelan.org.au or by calling 0431 953 526.

Please note that your responses below are used by LELAN to increase our understanding of who is engaging with our projects and work. As an organisation we are committed to including diverse perspectives and ensuring that various identities and experiences that people bring to the lived experience community are recognised. We will not disclose personal and/or identifying information about a person without their consent or in a way that they do not agree with. You have the option of providing no response if uncomfortable or unsure of disclosing this information, particularly for questions six and seven.

1.Your details:

Name

Pronouns (e.g. she/her, he/him, they/them)

Post Code

Email Address

Phone Number

2.Please indicate which of the following best applies to you.

I am someone who has struggled with suicidal distress, thoughts and experiences myself.

I am someone who has struggled with suicidal distress, thoughts and experiences myself AND I am working in a peer support role supporting others going through similar struggles.

I am someone who has struggled with suicidal distress, thoughts and experiences myself AND I am working in a clinical or other direct support role (NOT a peer support role) supporting others going through similar struggles.

Other:

3.Please confirm your availability for the following:

I am available to attend the training sessions (Monday 30th March, Tuesday 31st March and Wednesday 1st April)

I am available to facilitate in person Alt2Su groups either weekly or fortnightly

I can be available to attend reflective circles once per month

I agree to LELAN's Ways of Working

4.Do you have a current police and/or working with vulnerable people check? If not, would you consent to LELAN initiating one on your behalf (at no cost)?

Yes - I have checks that are current

No - I do not have checks but am willing to have LELAN initiate them

I do not consent to any relevant checks or screenings

5.Please indicate which locations in Adelaide you are available to facilitate groups:

Northern Metro

Central Metro

Southern Metro

Online

Regional SA (please specify)

8.Why do you want to be a Peer Group Facilitator for Alternatives to Suicide support groups?

9.Tell us about the skills, experience and ideas you will bring to Alternatives to Suicide groups as a Facilitator?

10.Please read the following article about Alternatives to Suicide: www.communitypsychology.com/new-approach-to-suicide/ What did you think about the information provided in the article about the Alternatives to Suicide approach? What resonated for you and do you have any concerns?

11.Is there anything that will make your participation in the training sessions easier or more comfortable?

12.If you could suggest one radical or innovative idea for how to improve things for people experiencing suicide distress or crisis what would you suggest?

13.Thank you for taking the time to complete these questions and your commitment to using your lived experience for change. You will receive a phone call from a LELAN staff member (either Emrys or Tanya) to notify you of next steps by Friday March 20th.

If you need more notice as to whether or not you are successful (e.g. to take time off work), or if you have any questions please reach out by emailing alt2su@lelan.org.au or calling LELAN on 0431 953 526.

If you have any further comments please provide them in the box below.

14.A couple of final things for us to check off:

If I am not already subscribed to the LELAN newsletter I would like to be added to the list

I consent to my answers to question 12 being used in advocacy discussions, presentations and position statements, reports or as quotes on social media knowing I will not be able to be identified and they will be attributed to 'LELAN community member'

Current Progress,

0 of 14 answered