Reference: 2011-009 - Alive and Kicking Goals

Researchers: Prof Diego De Leo, Dr Kathy McKay (Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention); Mr Joe Tighe (Alive and Kicking Goals, Men’s Outreach Service Inc

Funding: WACH

Project summary: Alive and Kicking Goals! (AKG) is a positively-framed suicide prevention peer education project which takes an innovative approach in tackling the inadequate provision of mental health services available for youth at risk in the Kimberley. Operating under the auspices of Men’s Outreach Services (MOS), AKG aims to address the growing suicide epidemic amongst Indigenous youth in the Kimberley. Using the unique vehicle of a football club to engage and educate Indigenous youth, AKG centres on skill-building, confidence and esteem-building through peer education and leadership training. The Broome Saints Football Club (BSFC) was initially used as the vehicle with which to drive this change. Recently, the BSFC, MOS, AKG and AISRAP (Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention) have joined together with the aim to further develop and evaluate the AKG suicide prevention training to be delivered in the West Kimberley. The AKG training will be delivered to primary- and secondary-schools, as well as other community arenas, as requested and required by the different communities. Two different workshops will be conducted: one for those aged 16+ years and those aged 10-15 years. A positively-framed DVD provides the foundation for both workshops.

Progress: Completed in 2014