StandBy is committed to ensuring all Australians have equal access to evidenced, informed, well-coordinated and timely post suicide support, and those with lived experience of suicide bereavement are central to everything we do.

StandBy – Support After Suicide was established in 2002 to meet the need for a coordinated community response to suicide.

StandBy is Australia’s leading suicide postvention program dedicated to assisting people and communities bereaved or impacted by suicide. In Australia, more than 3,300 people take their own life each year. Research indicates that for every death through suicide 135 people are impacted and ten or more are significantly impacted. StandBy provides free face-to face or telephone support by local caring staff, committed to the wellbeing of the person or group impacted.

The program provides a central point of coordination, connecting people to the various supports they may need through referrals to services, groups and organisations within their local area. StandBy is a program of Youturn Limited and operates nationally by partnering with local organisations, engaging their expertise within the community to deliver the most effective and culturally suitable support for each individual circumstance. Locally tailored community workshops and education programs are provided to increase awareness of suicide and suicide bereavement to help enable communities to support one another.

A recent independent evaluation of the program found that StandBy’s Support After Suicide service helps to significantly lower the risk of suicidality, mental health concerns, and social isolation following a loss of a loved one.

We promote respect, equality and the inclusion of all members of the community. We value the experiences and courage of people bereaved or impacted by suicide, and the willingness of local communities to support them. May we all work together towards a shared vision of hope and unity.

StandBy currently receives annual funding from the Australian Government (Department of Health) and NSW Ministry of Health to provide support to people bereaved or impacted by suicide, a population who are known to be at greater risk of suicide.

StandBy ensures that organisational direction is underpinned by a combination of lived experience, service provision partners and the StandBy National team (pictured below at the Maroochydore Head Offices Qld.)

The Inaugural National Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG) was established in 2019 to provide valuable lived experience to inform future strategic direction, guide and advise StandBy National and to help champion the StandBy program.

LEAG members meet regularly to support special projects and identifying areas of prioritisation for the continuous improvement of the StandBy program.

For more information about Lived Experience Groups please email StandBy’s Lived Experience Coordinator, Jo Langford.