Lean on Me

Cartoon design of a group of diverse people with rainbow accessories and gender-non-conforming presentation, standing in a line with their arms on each others' shoulders

Exploring suicide prevention and mental health-related peer support in Melbourne’s LGBTQ communities

2021

Shane Worrell, Adam Bourne, Andrea Waling

Lean on Me demonstrates that the responsibility for providing suicide prevention in LGBTQ communities in Melbourne frequently falls on peers with little or no training in responding to a mental health crisis. This ARCSHS report, funded by North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (NWMPHN), explores how LGBTQ individuals experiencing mental health concerns turn to their peers. Those being leant on provide crucial support. In some cases, they very likely save the lives of their fellow community members. Providing informal mental health-related support, however, can impact on a peer’s own wellbeing, even leading to burnout. This report highlights a need for strategies to reduce levels of mental ill health in LGBTQ communities and ensure that informal support roles are sustainable.

This research report demonstrates that suicide prevention and mental health-related peer support is extensive and vital in LGBTQ communities in Melbourne. Such informal support can involve a person being there for a friend, partner, colleague or even stranger during a mental health crisis, including when they are suicidal. This study draws from data collected in qualitative interviews with 25 people living in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia, and identifying as LGBTQ. Participants were sourced from a quantitative survey of 326 people run in conjunction with this study. The Lean on Me survey also focused on mental health-related support provided by LGBTQ peers.

Download the report here:

Lean on Me Report (PDF 0.9MB)

Lean on Me Executive Summary (PDF 0.5MB)

View the launch

Associated publications

Researchers at ARCSHS are working on several more academic publications from the Lean on Me project. They will feature here as they are published.

Funding

North Western Primary Health Network text logo, with the letters 'phn' 'North Western Melbourne' and 'An Australian Government Initiative

Lean on Me received generous support from North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (NWMPHN)