In Tasmania’s Spring Bay region, rural living brings with it a strong sense of community, alongside the realities of environmental uncertainty. Like many small towns across Australia, Spring Bay faces the increasing pressures of drought and the broader mental health challenges that can accompany it.
To help the community better prepare for these pressures, the Spring Bay Suicide Prevention Network (The Network) led an initiative to increase local capacity in supporting mental health and emotional resilience. The project was delivered in partnership with Lifeline Tasmania and was supported by a $7,425 Small Networks Grant, funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund under the Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought Initiative.
Aptly titled Accidental Counsellors Together (ACT), the project aimed to give everyday residents – from hairdressers and supermarket staff, to sports club volunteers – the skills to identify, respond to and support others experiencing mental health challenges. These individuals are often the first to notice when something isn’t right, but they lacked the tools and confidence to intervene safely and effectively.
To address this, three tailored training sessions were held at Spring Bay’s Community Health Centre. Run in the morning, afternoon and evening, the sessions were timed to ensure that shift workers, business owners and retirees alike could attend. Across the day, 44 participants took part in the three-hour workshops, which included role-play scenarios, information sharing and structured discussion. All attendees rated the sessions as highly valuable.
Participants came from all corners of the community, including representatives from local businesses, schools, Council, RSL and sporting clubs. Their varied backgrounds only strengthened the reach and relevance of the training, with each person bringing their lived experience to the sessions. This level of collaboration within the community is a great example of the project’s lasting impact.
The Network committed to maintaining these connections and collaborative support in the community. Three months after the training, Lifeline Tasmania returned to Spring Bay and delivered another two in-person sessions where participants shared experiences, addressed challenges and practiced their skills in locally relevant scenarios.
To reinforce knowledge between sessions, The Network also launched fortnightly email communications, providing accessible reminders and resources on topics such as suicide-safe language, personal boundaries, asking open questions and managing emotional fatigue.
This project was about strengthening the foundation of support that already exists in rural places – neighbours, co-workers, friends. By giving individuals the right tools and ongoing encouragement, Spring Bay is now home to a growing mental health network that spans across businesses, services and social settings.
“The most wonderful thing is that people are now aware and talking about how best to support others,” said one local. As drought and climate change continue to challenge rural Australia, projects like ACT underscore the importance of emotional preparedness.