Māori suicide prevention webinars - Mental Health Foundation


Mon 18 Feb 2013

The Mental Health Foundation is holding three free webinars on preventing Māori suicide. The second webinar is on Tuesday 19 February, 12.30-1.30pm ...

The Mental Health Foundation is holding three free webinars on preventing Māori suicide. The second webinar is on Tuesday 19 February, 12.30-1.30pm and will be presented by Di Grennell, director of Whānau Ora, and Michael Naera, Kia Piki Te Ora Project Leader. Di and Michael will be speaking about how to involve whānau and community in Māori suicide prevention.

“The first webinar showed why involving whānau in Māori suicide prevention strategies is critical,” says MHF Chief Executive Judi Clements. “The next webinar will give practical steps to show how we involve whānau and communities, and keep them involved.”

"In New Zealand, Māori are disproportionately affected by suicide. In 2010 (the most recent year for which we have official statistics), the Māori youth suicide rate was more than 2.5 times higher than that of non-Māori youth. The suicide rates across the lifespan were about 1.5 times higher for Māori compared with non-Māori. While suicide rates in New Zealand decreased for the overall population between 1996 and 2010, Māori suicides did not decrease. Given these statistics, it is important to look at specific approaches to preventing Māori suicide."

For more information, click here.

Photo credit: Through the Humours
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