All posts tagged: GLCS

Living Proud – A Perth Suicide Prevention Initiative

(As published on the Living Proud Website) By Stephanie Lane Living Proud is a new suicide prevention initiative for the LGBTI* community in Perth with a number of successful community involvement opportunities already completed for 2012. From community picnics and gender diversity forums to a large presence in this year’s Pride events, Living Proud is definitely becoming a well known name within the Perth community. Coordinated by Gay and Lesbian Community Services (GLCS), it is part of the One Life WA Suicide Prevention Strategy which has community action plans in place across the state. According to Living Proud community coordinator Tamara Bézu, the community approach the One Life Suicide Prevention Strategy has used is a useful way to look at suicide prevention. “Suicide prevention is everyone’s issue, it affects everyone in the community,” she said.  “It’s important to be able to bring people together to discuss this, and to create safe environments where people are comfortable talking about how they feel.” According to Ms Bézu, homophobia is still prevalent in society despite popular belief.  Suicide within the …