About HERE

HERE is ACON’s digital hub for information on suicide and situational distress, connecting people of diverse gender and sexuality, their loved ones, and service providers in NSW to care, support, and resources.

HERE includes resources and links to services for LGBTQ+ communities including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, trans and gender diverse communities, LGBTQ+ people from culturally, linguistically and ethnically diverse, migrant, and refugee backgrounds, and people of colour, and anyone living with a disability or long-term health conditions.

For LGBTQ+ people in Australia we know that 1 in 3* will have attempted suicide in their lifetime – which is a much higher rate than the general population. LGBTQ+ people report living with suicidal thoughts and feelings at even higher rates, and risk factors can often increase with other intersecting experiences of marginalisation and discrimination.

This hub promotes how incredibly resilient our communities are but at the same time highlights the need to talk about suicide and reduce the stigma and isolation that some people experience.

Although statistics speak to our higher rates of suicide, it’s not being LGBTQ+ or our other identities that makes us more likely to experience suicidality. We live in a society and culture that privileges and prioritises cisgender people and heteronormative relationships and milestones. This means that finding where we belong and receiving inclusive and affirming care from mainstream health services can be difficult.

To prevent and reduce rates of suicide in our communities we need to have access to information and support services when we need them.

It’s important that we can find and maintain connections with peers with lived experience of suicide and situational distress and nurture a sense of belonging within LGBTQ+ communities and cultures. ACON has been funded by the NSW Government to support the Premier’s Priority to reduce the suicide rate in NSW by 20 per cent by 2023. HERE is part of NSW Health’s Towards Zero Suicides initiative, Community Response Packages for Priority Groups.

For community by community

HERE has been generously supported through collaboration with stakeholders – through community consultation, co-design and production.

This important resource was made possible due to the members and leaders of the LGBTQ+ community.

We’d like to thank the Rainbow Mental Health Lived Experience Network for their lived experience insights, and our Professional Advisory Board, including representatives from BlaQ Aboriginal Corporation, Twenty10, LGBTIQ+ Health Australia, Safe Haven South Eastern Sydney LHD, and Mind Australia for their ongoing commitment to creating suicide safer communities for LGBTQ+ people.

We’d also like to thank the creative team at Headjam, who actively listened and produced this site with and for community during every stage of development.

This project will continue to maintain ongoing engagement with LGBTQ+ communities and service providers to create an evolving evidence-based, peer-led resource.

If you would like to inform us of any site access problems, or for us to add specific inclusive community and health services, please send us feedback.