THIRILLI ABORIGINAL PROGRAM PROVIDES SUPPORT

Photo Credit: Thirilli

Thirrili is an aboriginal controlled organisation established in 2017 and funded by the National Indigenous Australians Agency. 

The organisation helps families and those affected and traumatized by suicide. 

Thirilli also works with communities to build programs suited specifically to them and relies on communities to voice their needs. 

One of the programs called Safe Talk focuses on how to approach difficult conversations

Thirilli CEO Anette Vickory said, “where an individual or family has been impacted by suicide we can come and provide support, somebody to help the individual or family to navigate the service system providing emergency relief and we can also work with the community as a whole on building protocols to prevent future suicides.”

Mrs Vickory also said the reason suicides in aboriginal people are higher than in non-indigenous Australians is due to the impacts of colonisation, disempowerment and systematic racism. 

With locations across Australia and a head office in Darwin, Thirrili offers a 24 hours hotline manned by an Aboriginal or Torres straight islander person. 

Call 1800 505 801 for support.