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The Mental Health Foundation is welcoming an $8 million programme to strengthen Māori and Pasifika communities against suicide.
The programme is part of a four-year, $25 million national plan to cut the number of suicides, which are running at about 500 a year.
Foundation Chief Executive, Judi Clements, says the suicide rate for young Māori is disproportionate to their share of the population, and it’s important that cultural factors are recognised in tackling that problem.
"Suicide prevention for Māori is not the same as suicide prevention for non-Māori and the same is true for Pacific communities and Chinese-speaking communities. There are particular issues about how people perceive suicide, what strengths cultural identity has as a protection and as a prevention," she says.
Dr Clements says the programme is a chance to identify what actually works in suicide prevention.
Copyright © 2013, UMA Broadcasting Ltd
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