We’re excited to announce that expressions of interest are now open for our next round of Australia-wide Community-led Safe Spaces.
An important new type of community-based service to support people who are experiencing emotional or suicidal distress.
We invite community members with a lived experience of suicide to submit their interest to open a Community-led Safe Space in their local community. With thirteen Community-led Safe Spaces now operating across the nation, you could also become a part of the network, supporting your community to create and lead the safe spaces that meet their local needs.
Over the next two years, Roses in the Ocean’s National Community-led Safe Spaces Project aims to establish six additional volunteer-run non-clinical Community-led Safe Spaces where people can find compassionate and empathetic support amongst people who have a shared lived experience.
The Community-led Safe Space volunteer workforce, known as Peer CARE Companions, are local people with lived experience of suicidal distress who will be trained by Roses in the Ocean to use their lived experience to support others. The local working group will be supported by Roses in the Ocean to establish and operate a Community-led Safe Space in their community.
How Roses in the Ocean supports you?
Roses in the Ocean provides the following support to local working groups:
- A grant of $20,000 per year to support operational expenses (for the duration of the funding period: up to 18 months.)
- A Memorandum of Understanding outlining the roles and responsibilities of Roses in the Ocean and the working group
- Auspice (guidance) of working groups for insurance purposes for the project period
- Support of Working Groups through the implementation, and operations of a Community-led Safe Space
- Facilitation of a community consultation to ensure the model meets local needs
- Comprehensive training for volunteer Peer CARE Companions and working group members
- Provision of Roses in the Oceans’ TouchPoints life keeper suicide intervention training
Detailed operational guidelines for working groups and volunteers - Marketing assets to support the promotion of the Community-led Safe Space
- Fortnightly working group mentoring for first 6 months of establishment
- A monthly online community of practice and group co-reflection to support professional development and connection with other Community-led Safe Space volunteers
- Online volunteer software platform
What will you need to have in place to run a Community-led Safe Space effectively?
Please think about whether you and your community are ready to deliver a Community-led Safe Space. Through the pilot of 13 Community-led Safe Spaces we have learnt that there are some pre-existing local elements that are necessary for the project to have the greatest chance of success:
- A Working Group of local volunteers that have a good mix of skills and can work together in a collaborative and democratic way
- A number of volunteers identified who are willing to receive training and work in the Community-led Safe Space during its proposed operating hours
- Initial scoping of locations that would be suitable as a Community-led Safe Space and which there are early indications you would be permitted to use
- Some pre-existing awareness of the other services and resources in your community that you could connect people with to help address the cause of their distress (such as legal services, financial counselling, housing providers, mental health services, general practices, etc.)
If you don’t think you will have these elements in place, we would suggest getting in contact with your local suicide prevention network or collaborative to see if they can assist you.
If this is a service you would like to have available for people with a lived experience of suicide in your community, click below to express your interest.
*Please note, expressions of interest close at midnight on 31 July, 2025.
If you require more information or assistance, please contact us via: [email protected]
