Branch News

Canterbury/Westland Branch April 09

Supporting those bereaved by suicide. I would like to share with you an aspect of an issue that crops up ever so often: the availability of adequate support for those, who are bereaved by suicide. Regardless recent initiatives we still get requests from peo-ple who want to know whether there is any support for these people available. Our reply is that here in Can-terbury people who are bereaved through suicide should contact Victim Support. Two years ago Victim Sup-port has been identified (by the government) as best equipped to offer adequate support. We also know that the support offered is not 'for ever'. But at least for the short term there is help available. But who is there to go the extra mile?

When the initial proposals were discussed our Branch has indicated in its reply to the government (Jim An-derton) that short term support is fine and necessary but that often the need for support remains over a longer period of time and that long term support may be essential for those have a hard time to come to terms with such an event.

It is our impression that, at the moment, there is not much out there to go that extra mile. Perhaps it is more complicated on second thought. Would individual counselling be a solution? We also hear that people who are bereaved through suicide would like to talk to others who had a similar experience. So should they or-ganize themselves in support groups? Should branches help organize those support groups? But an other question is: Where do you start walking the extra mile in the process? Initial support may have taken those bereaved by suicide in a certain direction and should those who follow up take it from there? Or should the 'support'-question be taken at face value again and should the journey taken from there? Or should we ac-cept that every form of support needs to be tailored to meet the specific needs of that individual and/or sup-port group? Do other Branches and/or NALAG members have a similar experiences? And what type of solu-tions have you discovered that have proved helpful? Are there any guidelines floating around to meet those requests? We, here in Canterbury, would like to know and learn from you. And perhaps we could work to-gether to ask NALAG national to put this concern on their next agenda.

AGM NALAG NATIONAL will be held on the SOUTH ISLAND this year providing all South Island Nalag members with a real opportunity to come, meet up and participate in the program.

The date is set for Friday, September 18th. And Christchurch is the place to go to. The Canterbury/Westland branch is planning an interesting program for the day you don't want to miss. So pencil the date in your agenda.

In the middle of August the Canterbury Branch is planning a workshop with Mal and Di Mackissock (Bereavement Care Centre in Sydney). Interested? Call Herman Meijburg on: 347 49 42 for more details.