By BRIDGET SCOTT
COUNCILLOR Mick Morland has vowed to wage an “all out” battle against teen suicide.
The councillor of more than 20 years and member of Berwick Rotary Club said he has always been an advocate for this issue and said he is hoping others will join him in enforcing more preventative measures to stop suicide.
“We want to make an all-out approach,” he said.
“We need to change the culture and get people talking more.”
Cr Morland was inspired by a presentation last year from the Berwick Rotary Club to chairman of Beyondblue, Jeff Kennett.
Mr Kennett promised to give back the $10,000 the Rotary Club donated to Beyondblue if he saw evidence of local people and organisations working towards creating more preventative measures for suicide.
Mr Kennett said he would keep this money aside and put it back into the Casey community if the City of Casey, Rotary clubs and other local groups joined forced to combat the problem.
In an attempt to see this money again and help the local youth, Cr Morland wants to raise the bar and see more preventative measures taken to stop teen suicide altogether.
He said a big part of the problem is that people don’t talk about the problem, particularly after people have been confided in.
“If someone is going to commit suicide and confides in you, we need people to talk about and repeat this,” Cr Morland said.
“It’s better to lose a friend in friendship, than to lose a friend permanently.”
Mr Morland is hoping that a partnership between the City of Casey and the Rotary Club of Berwick will help to lower the rate of suicide in the City of Casey.
“We want the best outcome possible,” he said.
“Our biggest assets are our children.”
Mr Morland mentioned another reason he is an advocate for this issue.
“One person who dies affects 300 other people,” he said.
“This is really terrible and I want to make this commitment and I want the council’s commitment too.”
At a council meeting last week, Mr Morland asked that manager of Youth and Family Services at the City of Casey Collette McMahon be allowed to present to councillors on the issue of suicide and further preventative measures that could be implemented.
Ms McMahon said that in 2012, as a result of concerns about teen suicide, a local all agency approach was developed, resulting in the Youth Suicide Steering Committee (YSSC) being formed.
Ms McMahon said the work done over the past two years has delivered a big response to the community and the YSSC was instrumental in many outcomes for the Casey community and these will be outlined her briefing to councillors.
“Tackling suicide is complex and requires effort at a number of levels, including working directly with schools, parents and families,” she said.
“Any suicide is a tragedy and has far reaching effects, on immediate family, friends and in the broader community.”Building resilience within a community can prevent further critical incidents.”
Councillor Morland is determined to involve as many people as possible in a bid to see the money returned from Mr Kennett and make a difference to teens’ lives.
“It’s an ongoing issue and I am spending the rest of my council years trying to prevent youth suicide,” he said.
