Expression of Interest: National Suicide Prevention Office Lived Experience Partnership Group

Overview

About the National Suicide Prevention Office  

The National Suicide Prevention Office (NSPO) was established in January 2022 as a specialist office located within the National Mental Health Commission. The NSPO is tasked with leading a coordinated, whole-of-governments approach to suicide prevention.  

The NSPO aims to guide and support all levels and parts of government to take coordinated, comprehensive and consistent action to reduce suicide and suicidality, including through: 

• Developing a whole-of-governments National Suicide Prevention Strategy which was launched in February 2025. 

• Embedding lived experience at the core of decision making to ensure policies and programs meet the needs of those impacted.  

• Monitoring and reporting on national progress, enhancing data collection, and building evidence to support decision-making and improve outcomes.  

• Building capacity and capability of government systems, service providers, and community networks to respond early and provide coordinated, compassionate support. 

Currently the NSPO is focused on developing the National Suicide Prevention Outcomes Framework for monitoring and reporting progress in suicide prevention as they relate to the direction set out in the National Suicide Prevention Strategy.  

The work of the NSPO is informed by people with lived and living experience of suicide and draws on the rich combined knowledge and expertise of individuals, communities, service providers, advocates, researchers and government agencies across portfolios and jurisdictions.  

More information is available at http://www.mentalhealthcommission.gov.au/nspo 

About the Lived Experience Partnership Group 

The Lived Experience Partnership Group (LEPG) was established to ensure that people with a lived and living experience of suicide are partners in the work of the NSPO. The LEPG adds value to the NSPO work through the contribution of diverse views and expertise. 

The purpose of the LEPG is to: 

• Provide expert advice to the NSPO to inform the design and contribute to the development and implementation of key projects from a lived experience of suicide perspective. 

• Guide the work of the NSPO to ensure best practice lived experience engagement. 

• Promote cross-sector collaboration and knowledge sharing in suicide prevention activity that values lived experience insights and expertise. 

• Inform the NSPO on current and emerging issues that are significant to members’ own communities, sector contexts or systems-level advocacy work. 

Expressions of Interest 

The NSPO is currently seeking Expressions of Interest to appoint 4 new members to the Lived Experience Partnership Group.   

The NSPO works within the National Mental Health Commission’s Paid Participation Policy, details of which can be found here: Paid Participation Policy, 2020 | National Mental Health Commission 

Before applying, candidates are encouraged to review the readiness to be involved in suicide prevention resource created by Roses in the Ocean. 

Please also review the LEPG Terms of Reference and Group Charter below.