Every single dollar you donate to Lifeline will help with the provision of crisis support and suicide prevention.

We’re trying to solve an issue that plagues our community – suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians under the age of 44. Lifeline believes that most suicides are preventable but we work with very limited resources and your contribution is vital in maintaining our services.

You make it all possible.

Thanks to your regular gift, Lifeline’s work touches every community in Australia.

We receive over a million contacts each year from people needing care and support either by telephone, online or face-to-face through our network of 42 Centres.

We have a presence in every state and territory and we deliver national services as well as a range of services specific to the needs of local communities.

You make it possible for us to provide these services. Every year we rely on public donations from donors such as you to fund our support services.

Our vision is an Australia free from suicide. As an organisation we aspire to prevent this tragic cause of death.

Remember, your support saves lives. Without you, none of this would be possible.

Lifeline was founded in 1963 by the late Reverend Dr. Sir Alan Walker after a call from a distressed man who three days later took his own life. Determined not to let loneliness, isolation or anxiety be the cause of other deaths, Sir Alan launched a crisis line which initially operated out of the Methodist Central Mission in Sydney.

Two years of planning and preparation led to the establishment of Lifeline Sydney, with 150 people attending a nine month training course to work at the Centre. A century old, dilapidated building owned by the Mission, on the fringes of downtown Sydney was renovated for the purposes of this new support centre. A staff of full-time employees was appointed to direct the work of the ‘telephone counsellors’.

The Director General of Post and Telephone Services authorised that this counselling service should be listed on the Emergency Page of the Telephone Directory and the phones were installed.

March 1963 saw the opening of the first official Lifeline Centre. The initiative was well received with over 100 calls for help being answered in the first day. The first call came one minute after the lines were opened and the phones have never stopped ringing.

In 1994 Lifeline transitioned the 24 hour telephone counselling line to a single national priority 13 number (13 11 14). In 2007 Lifeline introduced national call flow to the 24 hour telephone counselling service. This allowed Lifeline to begin flowing calls nationally over a wide area network, to be answered by the next available telephone counsellor anywhere in the country.

Lifeline’s Living History.

Lifeline founder Reverend Dr. Sir Alan Walker

Calls answered.

382,665

432,367

2007

2008 375,921*

2009

2010

437,349

* Financial year

Today Lifeline’s 13 11 14 telephone crisis support service answers more than 1,250 calls each day, with around 50 calls from people at high risk of suicide.

Lifeline currently answers more calls than at any time in our history.

It costs $19.5 million each year to run the 13 11 14 telephone crisis support service.

Calls are answered by over 3,500 trained and dedicated telephone volunteers working 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to support those in need. These volunteers also contribute towards their own training costs – up to $500.

With your support we can train more people to help Australians in crisis.

Lifeline also continues to investigate new mediums for the delivery of accessible support services to those in need.

“ I wanted to thank everyone at Lifeline who I’ve spoken to since the death of my husband. I still haven’t cried but I’m back to eating (slowly). With your help I now feel like I am able to cope. I wouldn’t have got through it without Lifeline”

Lifeline focuses on three service areas that connect people with care:

Crisis Support

Services that provide immediate support to individuals at times of difficulty in their lives, and support for communities in the recovery of major events.

Suicide Prevention

Services that educate individuals and communities about suicide and offer appropriate support and intervention for those people who are at risk of suicide or bereaved by suicide.

Mental Health Support

Services that provide support for people experiencing mental illness and which offer reliable information and self-help resources to empower people to take steps towards maintaining mental health and emotional wellbeing.

“ Thank you for the knowledge that there is someone on the end of a telephone line who cares about me. It means the world.”

Senate Inquiry

Lifeline played a key leadership role along with Suicide Prevention Australia (SPA) to encourage the Senate to undertake an Inquiry into Suicide in Australia. The report “The Hidden Toll: Suicide in Australia” that came about as a result carried 42 important recommendations and led to a trebling of Commonwealth funding to suicide prevention in Australia.

Suicide intervention and awareness

The LivingWorks program Lifeline delivers in Australia is an internationally acclaimed suicide ‘first aid’ and awareness training program. Lifeline works with more than 300 trainers who deliver this program, provide materials, workshop feedback and newsletters.

Australia’s first suicide hotspot helpline

In March 2010, Lifeline launched a 24 hour telephone crisis support service for suicidal people (or third parties) calling from specially designed telephones located at one of Australia’s known suicide spots – The Gap Park at Woollahra in Eastern Sydney. Lifeline collaborated with the Black Dog Institute and the Woollahra Municipal Council on appropriate and effective signage for the phones at the park, with Lifeline’s number and service being positioned next to ‘000’ for those requiring immediate crisis support.

How we put your donation to use

A world class website

We have recently undertaken substantial work to improve our website. The site is now one of the most visited and linked to sites of any non-government service organisations in Australia.

Lifeline have also partnered with Google in Australia. Now a search on Google.com.au for certain terms related to suicide will turn up a large red phone icon and the words: “Need help? In Australia, call 13 11 14.”

It is an initiative that will assist us to reach more people in need, so we are very proud to be partnering with them on this important measure.

We know it will, quite literally, help us save more lives.

Self-help for the public

As part of the Lifeline Information Service, we develop and make available for the public self-help tool kits and fact sheets on a range of topics, such as domestic violence, helping someone at the risk of suicide, overcoming stress, and

coping with sorrow, loss and grief. Support from both MLC Community Foundation and Prime Super made this possible and all resources are available on our website or can be requested as hard copies when required.

Online Crisis Support

Social media also offers us amazing opportunities for creating awareness and allows other opportunities for direct and confidential support. We have begun work in this area with our new online Crisis Support Chat Service and Lifeline is investigating further crisis support options through the social media space. It is innovative and exciting, and may broaden our reach, but we need to ensure it is also a safe means of providing both information and support to Australians in crisis.

Lifeline Centres offer many services specific to the needs of their local communities including:

• Financial counselling

• Gambling counselling

• Face-to-face counselling

• Homelessness and disability services

• Suicide prevention and bereavement services

• Disability services

• Youth services

• Family and mediation services

• Information and education groups

• Indigenous support services

• Other services and programs specific to the needs of local communities.

* Contact your local Centre to find out what services are available in your area

Every minute, somewhere in Australia, there is a new call to Lifeline.

Family and Relationships

448 calls per day Health and Disability

366 calls per day

Loneliness132 calls per day

Suicide53 calls per day

“ My physical problems have improved dramatically, I think it’s because I started talking, first with you and then with people around me. The step of picking up the telephone was the first I took towards feeling better.

Thank you Lifeline for listening to me unconditionally.”

Why your regular gift counts.

Because we don’t know when our callers will need us we’re available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Your regular gift allows us to provide those services.

Lifeline spends less than 10c in every $1 on administration costs.

Community support (26%)

Government grant (63%)

Other income (11%)

Where the

money comes from

Administration (10%)

Fundraising and promotion (18%)

Service support (72%)

Where the

money goes

Contact us for information about bequests

A Will is an important document that everyone needs to consider. Perhaps you have thought of making a bequest? By making a bequest to Lifeline you will be helping us work towards a future where anyone can receive care and emotional support when they need it.

Volunteer your time

Every day, all around Australia, Lifeline is recruiting volunteers. Whether you would like to train to be a telephone volunteer, work in one of our 270 retail stores or support us in other areas of our operation we would love to hear from you. If you would like more information please email volunteer@lifeline.org.au

Become a Corporate Supporter

As well as relying on the support of individuals, Lifeline also has a number of corporate supporters who either help us fund our operations or assist us with specific projects. Lifeline offers corporate engagement opportunities tailored to suit most organisations. Supporting Lifeline through your workplace can be both flexible and fun. If you work with an organisation who would like to become involved with Lifeline then please let us know.

Lifeline’s crisis support line is available 24 hours a day on 13 11 14. For immediate crisis intervention, when life may be in danger call the police on 000 or go to your local hospital emergency department.

Lifeline national office Po Box 173, Deakin West Act 2600Phone 02 6215 9400 email national@lifeline.org.au

In addition to your regular gift there are many other ways you can contribute to Lifeline and support the Australian community.