‘From where I stand’ - what do service providers in St George say are influences for Indigenous youth suicide in their community?

‘From where I stand’ - what do service providers in St George say are influences for Indigenous youth suicide in their community?

A general apprehension exists surrounding adolescent suicides among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in rural, regional and remote communities. The extent and prevalence of suicide among this group is unclear and the provision of services to support survivors and persons affected by Indigenous adolescent suicide is similarly either uncertain or misunderstood.

Consequently, this research aimed to examine the prevalence of Indigenous youth suicide within the geographical boundaries of St George Queensland and further the effect that such suicide events have on the community.

Using participatory action research 5 participants were recruited as collaborators to discuss Indigenous youth suicide in the community. Of these participants, 3 identified being of Aboriginal descent and all 5 participants identified as service providers within the St George community. A total of four interviews took place in St George, three interviews were conducted on a one-on-one basis and one interview had joint participants at their request.

The interviews were transcribed verbatim and a thematic analysis of the data was then conducted. Three themes were identified during the analysis 'Community Insight', 'Community Influence' and 'Community Response'.

The findings of the research revealed that while there had been limited Indigenous youth suicides in the last 10 years, the effect that the suicide of Indigenous youth outside of the geographical boundaries of St George was considerable and affected the community as though the deaths had happened within the geographical region.

Further, a profound reluctance to discuss the issue was encountered and that the perception was that there was not enough access to reliable, consistent support services and that their geographic isolation further prejudiced their access to services. Despite the apparent lack of funding, services and understanding regarding Indigenous youth suicide, the Indigenous community is resilient and supportive, providing a protective web for their young people and each other.

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