Supporting the development of Women’s Spirit

The Victorian Suicide Prevention Framework 2016-25 provides a whole-of-government commitment and coordinated strategy to reduce suicide rates. Both Commonwealth and State government funding has supported organisations and initiatives to reduce suicide.

SEMPHN works closely with a range of community-based organisations to deliver place-based trials and other proactive suicide prevention strategies. This includes supporting the Women’s Spirit Project, a grassroots initiative which aims to inspire and empower women experiencing disadvantage to transform their lives through fitness, health, and wellbeing activities.

In 2022, SEMPHN supported the Spirit of Transformation program - a 12-week program designed by women, for women aged 25 years or older who have experienced life challenges including isolation, family violence, mental ill-health, poverty and un(der) employment. The 2020 Coroner’s Report indicated that for 17% of women, violence involving a partner was a stressor and likely contributor to suicide. The Spirit of Transformation Program is designed to develop the courage, determination and strategies required for participants to realise their life goals and in turn create change within their families and communities. Participants meet weekly to build mental, emotional, and physical resilience. 

Founder and Managing Director, Jodie Belyea says, "The ‘Spirit of Transformation’ program enables participants to (re)-build their fitness, health, wellbeing and their lives.”

How mental health and wellbeing programs can help 

General practice data extracted from POLAR (Population Level Analysis & Reporting) which is a software is useful for insight and planning across the areas of clinical, business, quality improvement and accreditation for general practice. It enables meaningful analysis by general practices of their own identified patient data, which is presented in an easy-to-use graphical format.

POLAR data shows that in this last year, one in seven SEMPHN-commissioned mental health referrals. Around one in ten treatment episodes in SEMPHN-commissioned mental health services were for consumers who had a recent history of suicide attempt or suicide risk. 

The Women’s Spirit Project is based in the part of our region that has the highest proportion of consumers who have accessed SEMPHN commissioned mental health services. 

Services like Women’s Spirit Project help to improve mental health, prevent suicide and reduce unhealthy alcohol and other drug use. 

“I’ve had a rough time in my own personal situation but I’ve held together… (because) my mindset is so much stronger. I couldn’t have paid for something like this.” - A project participant recognises the importance of working together in the areas of prevention, diagnosis, treatment and recovery and is committed to working together at a regional level to support integrated service planning and delivery. Our work and commissioning aims to improve the health, wellbeing and experiences of people living in South-Eastern Melbourne. 

Through Commonwealth and Victorian Government funding, we match services to a person’s needs from low intensity and early intervention services right through to people with severe mental ill-health 

Initiatives and programs offered by organisations like Women’s Spirit Project are vital in delivering mental health support and services to the region.