NATIONAL COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION OF PEOPLE WITH EXPERIENCE OF SUICIDE
GROUNDED IN EXPERIENCE FOCUSED ON ROOT CAUSES.
NCAPES was founded in late 2025 by people from around Australia with direct experience of suicide and a shared desire to see communities listened to in the way Australia responds to suicide.
Many of us have been involved in suicide prevention and suicide bereavement activities for many years. We also have other professional experiences in areas like health, education, law, small business, and social services. We are interested in ending suicide in Australia by focusing on the root causes of distress in our communities – not just crisis interventions or emergency responses. We are spread across Australia’s states and territories with most of us living in regional and rural areas.
NCAPES is committed to being a representative, democratic, participatory and community-based mechanism for people with experience of suicide — driving meaningful change through connection, advocacy, and collective wisdom.
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Facilitates connection and dialogue between people with experience of suicide.
Elevates community insights in order to evolve the understanding of suicide in Australia.
Supports advocacy and action in relation to suicide that builds on the collective work of social justice movements.
Reduces barriers for community participation in contributing to responses to suicide.
Functions to influence positive change in all systems and responses that affect or impact the community in relation to suicide.
Promotes the dignity of people with experience of suicide.
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Prioritises rigorous approaches, principled actions and accountability to community.
Provides efficient, appropriate, cost-effective advice and input into government decision making, services, research and others.