Celebrating a decade of community-led suicide prevention

With the Suicide Prevention Community Action Plan (SPCAP) support service proudly coordinated by Wellways, and funded by the Northern Queensland PHN (NQPHN), we celebrate a new publication from NQPHN that reflects on 10 years of community-led suicide prevention across northern Queensland, recognising the power of local partnerships, lived experience, and collective action in creating safer and more connected communities.

A Decade of Community-Led Suicide Prevention (2016-2026, and Beyond) highlights the impact of regional Suicide Prevention Community Action Plans, which have brought together communities, organisations, volunteers, and people with lived experience to strengthen wellbeing and foster hope.

The publication showcases initiatives across the Torres and Cape, Cairns and Hinterland, Townsville, and Mackay regions, demonstrating how community-led approaches can complement clinical services by addressing the social factors that support wellbeing, including connection, housing, education, and employment.

We know that suicide prevention is everyone’s business. Meaningful change happens when communities come together, listen to lived and living experience, and create spaces where people feel connected, valued, and supported. This publication is a powerful reminder that local leadership and strong partnerships play an essential role in building hope and preventing suicide.

The publication also looks ahead, outlining how community action plans will continue to evolve in line with Australia’s national approach to suicide prevention, ensuring local responses remain grounded in the needs and strengths of communities.