Grounded in experience. Focused on root causes.

NCAPES was founded by people with deep collective experience across public policy, community development, law, education, health service planning, and peer work. Our experience spans housing and homelessness, domestic, family and sexualised violence, substance use, economic disadvantage, and other upstream drivers of distress.

This grounding shapes our approach: we focus on addressing root causes and systemic conditions — not just crisis responses.

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A direct connection between community and decision-makers

NCAPES provides an open and accessible opportunity for anyone touched by suicide to participate in conversations regarding policy and practice in relation to suicide prevention. This opportunity is open to all without the requirement for professional credentials, or organisational affiliation.

At the same time, we offer governments, researchers, and service providers direct access to real-world, real-time community insights that are rarely captured through traditional consultation processes.

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National, inclusive, and democratic

Our membership model is built on individual participation and democratic governance. This creates accountability, protects independence, and supports broad representation — particularly from regional and rural communities, where suicide rates are high and voices are too often absent from national policy discussions.

Over the coming months, we will be continuing to expand membership and will be hosting our first virtual town hall meeting to begin building this national conversation together.