Suicide is preventable, yet, suicide remains the biggest killer of Australians aged 15 to 24 years.

Lived experience peer support programs are effective evidence-based interventions that have the potential to hugely reduce the rates of youth suicide in Australia.

Youth Insearch programs are led by young people who have a lived experience of suicide and can mentor and support other young people who might be in a dark place. This mutual experience creates a deep, holistic understanding where young people are able to ‘be’ with each other, without the constraints of a hierarchical (expert/patient) relationship. 

In 2020, 91 per cent of Youth Insearch participants felt more socially connected and, importantly no longer felt suicidal after attending the program.

More funding is needed from the federal government to expand programs such as Youth Insearch and spread the message to encourage young people to speak up and seek help.

With greater funding for youth-focused programs such as Youth Insearch, we can drive the number of deaths by suicide to zero. 

Sign this petition to call on all federal government parties to take meaningful action in the run-up to the 2022 election.