Roses in the Ocean are currently seeking individuals with a lived experience of suicide to volunteer with our Peer CARE Companion in Community model in the Cairns community.

Peer CARE Companion in Community is a face-to-face, community-based suicide prevention service. It provides a safe place for people to connect with our Peer CARE Companions who share a similar lived experience.

A lived experience of suicide is:

• Having experienced suicidal thoughts
• Survived a suicide attempt
• Supported a loved one through suicidal crisis
• Been bereaved by suicide

Peer CARE Companions meet people ‘where they are at’ locally and in community. Support may vary from meeting in community setting, having a coffee with someone, supporting them to navigate additional supports, going for a walk or connecting for a chat. You will have flexibility and be able to update availability to best suit your lifestyle as needed.

Peer CARE Companions are:

• Comfortable talking about suicide
• Comfortable sitting with another person's lived experience and their feelings and emotions
• Able to listen deeply and let people talk about their experiences.

The following training is provided:

• Touchpoints Workshop (4.5 hours)
• Self-paced online modules (4 to 6 hours)
• Peer CARE Companion Workshop (6.5 hours)
• Service Induction and some practice calls (3 hours)

To register your interest in becoming a volunteer, please apply below. We will then send you a link to create your Volunteer Profile in Volaby and book yourself in for a Readiness Call with a team member from Roses in the Ocean.

For more information, reach out to [email protected] and our Regional Coordinator will be in touch.