Reference: 2012-016 - Alive & Kicking Goals! Suicide Prevention App Component

Researchers: Professor Helen Christensen, Dr Fiona Shand, Rebecca Ridani (Black Dog Institute); Dr Kathryn McKay (University of New England); Joe Tighe, Joshua Sibosado, Craig Sampi (Alive and Kicking Goals)

Funding: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing

Project summary:Alive & Kicking Goals! (AKG) is a suicide prevention initiative currently in place in the Kimberley. The Black Dog Institute is partnering with AKG in order to bolster the provision of mental health services for at risk youth within the region. The long-term aim of this project is to develop a mobile phone suicide prevention application (app) that provides anonymous and immediate support for at risk youth. However, the preliminary stage of this project (and which this application pertains to) involves running focus groups to garner input from Indigenous youth on what would make for a good app. As such, we are seeking to find out from youth how they cope with problems in their daily lives, what part technology can play in helping them to better cope with such challenges, what mobile phone apps appeal to them and why, and what features they would want from an app that is designed to assist them with the betterment of their mental health. Although the app is aimed at individuals who are having suicidal thoughts, but are not yet in crisis, there will nevertheless be a ‘crisis button’ to help individuals or friends/family identify who is at risk and how to respond.

Progress: Completed in 2013