This World Suicide Prevention Day, 10 September 2026, the National Suicide Prevention Office (NSPO) launched a Community Toolkit to help communities start meaningful conversations about suicide and take action to prevent it.
Each year in Australia more than 3,000 people die by suicide, with an estimated 55,000 attempts. Behind every number is a person, and a ripple effect of devastation across families, friends and communities. The toolkit supports safe, respectful and practical conversations that can help reduce suicide and suicidal distress across Australian communities.
Developed by the NSPO with input from people with lived experience of suicide, and people with experience of working in local suicide prevention contexts, the Community Toolkit has been designed for community leaders, organisations, groups and individuals who want to strengthen wellbeing, connection and hope in their communities.
The Community Toolkit is free and available to download from the National Suicide Prevention Office’s website, to support communities in playing an active role in suicide prevention efforts by translating the National Suicide Prevention Strategy 2025-2035 (the Strategy) into local practical action.
According to Head of the National Suicide Prevention Office, Dr Alex Hains, this toolkit is designed to put the National Suicide Prevention Strategy into the hands of communities. Dr Hains said:
"Communities are at the heart of suicide prevention. They understand their people, strengths and challenges better than anyone else. This toolkit helps communities use that knowledge to identify local priorities and choose evidence-based actions that will make the greatest difference."
The downloadable resources include a Facilitator Guide, PowerPoint slides, supporting animation and video explainers, plus templates to promote the opportunity and support engagement in the conversation.
Member of the NSPO's Lived Experience Partnership Group, Chris Trupp contributed to the development of the toolkit. He welcomed the initiative as an important step in supporting communities and service providers to take practical action:
"When a community loses someone to suicide, there's always a huge ripple effect that is far reaching with people trying to find ways to help support their community. Too frequently that turns into a one-off fundraiser or isolated awareness campaign which often fades, because nobody's quite sure what to do next or how to affect change in a deeper, more foundational way.
Having lived experience embedded in the development of this toolkit matters because it's the difference between a resource that tells communities what to do, and one that reflects how change actually happens on the ground.
This toolkit gives communities a way to hold those conversations safely and confidently. It also helps them look at their own strengths and needs, turning that energy into action that's actually going to make a difference; action shaped by people with lived and living experience, not just designed for them.
That action lines up with the National Suicide Prevention Strategy, so communities can have confidence it's grounded in what we know works, and in what communities themselves know they need."
Lasting reductions in suicide deaths, suicide attempts and suicidal distress can only be achieved through collective effort. The Community Toolkit reflects the shared commitment of communities and governments across Australia to work together to create safer, more connected and supportive communities.
To access the Community Toolkit:
To access the Strategy:
https://www.mentalhealthcommission.gov.au/national-suicide-prevention-strategy