In partnership with Western Queensland PHN and STRIDE, we are running Family, Friends & Kin Community Consultations to help shape a culturally grounded, “bush‑based” support model for people caring for loved ones experiencing suicidal distress.
These consultations place lived experience at the heart of the process. We believe the people best placed to design meaningful support are those who have walked alongside someone in crisis — family members, friends and kin who understand the realities of care, connection and resilience in rural communities.
Participants are invited to take part in ways that feel comfortable and accessible, including:
- Face‑to‑face yarns in Roma and St George (from the third week of May)
- One‑on‑one phone conversations
- An online survey
We are also keen to hear from people in Queensland’s Central West, with phone and survey options available now and in‑person yarns planned later in the year.
What comes from these consultations will directly inform a non‑clinical, peer‑driven support model designed to strengthen — not replace — existing services. Importantly, it will reflect the kind of support people actually want, delivered in ways that feel trusted, practical and grounded in bush realities.
Consultation landing page is here 
https://rosesintheocean.com.au/family-friends-kin-community-consultations/