Joanna Tucker, Yorke Peninsula Country Times
Suicide awareness organisation SOS Yorkes is on the brink of collapse unless more volunteers can be found immediately.
The group, which raises awareness for suicide prevention, put the call out in May via social media and the Yorke Peninsula Country Times for help.
At least eight volunteers are needed to run the operation, but numbers had sunk as low as four before two more people put their hands up last week.
Chair Ann Clothier said, if SOS Yorkes — which was founded in 2015 and stands for Stamp Out Suicide — cannot find a new secretary and treasurer in the next few weeks, the service will cease at the end of this month.
“We need to reset the group and welcome new faces on board, and we hope that they are able to commit to taking on a role,” Ms Clothier said.
“We might just have to give up on trying to get the group to remain, but we thought we’d do one last reach out.”
Ms Clothier said a Facebook callout, which has already been shared multiple times online, was a last-ditch effort to attract some interest.
“We are so appreciative of the offers of support that this group has received over the past few days and are keen to move forward to see if the group can continue and grow,” she said.
SOS Yorkes will hold two meetings this week to discuss the future of the group, with the first online tomorrow (Wednesday, June 5).
The second is at the SYP Community Hub, Yorketown, at 10.30am on Friday, June 7.
The group has received offers from one volunteer to help with events, and another Adelaide-based person who expressed interest in joining the committee and writing grant applications.
But it needs more people to help organise events, write grant proposals and provide information technology assistance.
“SOS Yorkes is all about building resilience within our community,” Ms Clothier said.
“Life throws curveballs at us on a regular basis.
“(SOS Yorkes) is to get people to reach out and speak up when they’re not doing so well, and they’re not able to bounce back.
“We’re not healthcare professionals, but we can connect those people that are in need to healthcare professionals.”
Ms Clothier said even talking about suicide was tough, but those important conversations could save lives.
“People think that, by asking if someone is feeling suicidal, you’re putting the idea into their head, but that’s not what the data has shown.
“It’s nine people a day taking their own lives (Australia wide), and seven of those are men.”
If you are interested in joining SOS Yorkes, contact Ms Clothier on 0413 316 506.
This article appeared in Yorke Peninsula Country Times, 6 June 2024.
