Training in NSW Communities

This training is available for teachers, parents/caregivers, student peer leaders and wider community touchpoints for students within NSW high schools. You can do online training right now by clicking the link on this page, register your interest via the form on this page or a LivingWorks in-person workshop in your school or community. We do have some in-person workshops already scheduled for anyone to join, look at our Trybooking Events Page for more information and to register.

All NSW high schools (Public, Catholic, and Independent) are able to receive LivingWorks training for free, which includes face-to-face and online training options for teachers, parents/carers, student peer leaders and community touchpoints. If you are a parent or a school staff member who would like to submit an expression of interest for training registration for your school, you can do so below. Please note that an expression of interest is not required for your school to be eligible for this training, and schools will receive information about their training options as this program is rolled out.

The focus of the training is teachers, parents/caregivers and wider community touchpoints for students, with a small number of student peer-leaders to receive training. Students will be nominated by school staff.

This training is available for parents and caregivers of students within NSW high schools. You can submit an Expression of Interest form below to register your interest in completing LivingWorks online or in-person training.

This training is available to all NSW high schools until June 30, 2024. It is up to your school to opt in to the training, to decide how many teachers they would like to train, and when they complete this training.

You can do a 90 minute online course - LivingWorks Start - right now! The button is toward the top of this page. You can also attend an in-person workshop in your area (see our Trybooking Events page) or enquire using the form at the bottom of this page.

LivingWorks Australia offers training in all states, however at this stage only NSW residents are eligible to access this training for free under the NSW Government’s Mental Health Recovery Package. To view training options available in other states, please check the calendar via the LivingWorks website or reach out to LivingWorks Australia at info@livingworks.com.au.

This training is available completely free of charge for NSW school communities under the NSW Government’s Mental Health Recovery Package.

We offer a wide range of training options, from the 90 minute online LivingWorks Start to face to face workshops (half day LivingWorks safeTALK and two day LivingWorks ASIST). Further information about the types of training available under this program here.

You do not need to “nominate” your school, as all schools are eligible for this training and will receive information as the program is rolled out. If you do however submit an expression of interest as an individual or part of a school, we will keep you updated on training opportunities as they become available and may be able to fast track training at your school.

Yes, this program roll-out is being led by NSW Health with the support of the Department of Education.

Yes, completing LivingWorks training  will contribute to NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Accredited PD in the priority area of Student/child Mental health addressing standard descriptor 4.1.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW. LivingWorks ASIST will contribute 14 hours, LivingWorks safeTALK will contribute 3 hours and LivingWorks Start will contribute 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Training will be offered to the school, who will then decide when and how they deliver this training to teachers. Please contact your School Executive for more information on their specific policies.

Training will be offered to all NSW high schools in a staged rollout. If you would like to fast track training at your school, we advise you to submit an Expression of Interest form below. We can then liaise with your school to organise training.

Teachers and parents/carers are well-placed to observe suicide warning signs, monitor risk, encourage alternative coping strategies, provide emotional support, and facilitate young people to engage with mental health and suicide prevention services.

However, research indicates that many teachers and parent/carers’ suicide-related knowledge, and confidence in their ability to intervene, is lacking.

Empowerment of teachers and parents/carers and through suicide education has been demonstrated to be effective in addressing this issue, resulting in increased identification of young people at risk of suicide as well as increased referrals to services.

Read the evidence summary for each LivingWorks program here.

Yes! We offer a wide range of programs that are available to as many touchpoints in school communities as possible, to create a network of safety for students. Fill out the form on the bottom of this page so we can talk about options for your school.

LivingWorks programs are designed to build on each other. If you do not feel confident in recognising and responding to suicide with our shorter training options (online LivingWorks START 90 minute training, and in person LivingWorks safeTALK half day training), we recommend that you enrol in ASIST, the 2-day evidence-based gold standard for suicide intervention skills training across the globe.

Teachers are well-placed to observe suicide warning signs, monitor risk, encourage alternative coping strategies, provide emotional support, and facilitate young people to engage with mental health and suicide prevention services. This is not a replacement for clinical care, but rather creates a Network of Safety around students, so that the community around them is also aware of the signs, risks and referral pathways available to students. Empowerment of teachers and parents/carers and through suicide education has been demonstrated to be effective in addressing this issue, resulting in increased identification of young people at risk of suicide as well as increased referrals to services. To read more about this evidence, please download our Schools Program Evidence Summary here.

It’s important to seek guidance and work with a local postvention response team, such as your school Psychology and/or Wellbeing team, headspace In Schools postvention service or StandBy Support After Suicide to determine the right time, but 3 months after the suicide is the usual timeframe before training is offered. There may be exceptions for critical touchpoints in the community to support efforts to reduce any further suicides due to the exposure (for example training could be offered earlier for health staff, first responders, and selected parents).

LivingWorks suicide intervention skills training aligns with other suicide prevention activities that:

• Raise suicide prevention awareness and mental health literacy (primary prevention in schools such as Youth Aware of Mental Health (YAM), Beyou, RUOK? Reachout, and Mental Health First Aid)
• Support mental health intervention (helplines, GPs, headspace centres, counselling, and emergency departments), and 
• Deliver postvention services (after a suicide death and/or number of deaths/attempts in a community) often supported locally by Headspace In Schools postvention service and/or Standby Support After Suicide.

LivingWorks uploads NESA accreditation as quickly as possible, however it may take up to 6 weeks for accreditation points to show in your personal eTAMS account. Please keep in mind, accreditation points are only allocated after you have completed the training.

If it has been more than 8 weeks and you cannot see the training in your personal eTams account, or you were not asked to provide your NESA number when you registered for the training, please contact us at info@livingworks.com.au with your completion certificate and the email used to complete the training and we will assist you to register your points.