Black Dog Institute's Community of Care: Suicide Prevention in CaLD Communities

I’m honoured to be joining the Black Dog Institute’s Suicide Prevention Network Community of Practice this September, where the focus is on suicide prevention in culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) communities.

This theme is close to my heart. As someone who migrated from Egypt to Australia and carries lived experiences of caregiving, migration stress, and suicide bereavement, I know how deeply culture shapes the way we understand distress, healing, and belonging.

CaLD communities face unique risks - including migration uncertainty, racism, settlement stress, and cultural stigma - which can amplify vulnerability and silence. At the same time, they hold powerful protective factors: family bonds, faith, cultural practices, and community resilience. Unfortunately, these strengths are often overlooked or underutilised in mainstream services.

My contribution to this Community of Practice will explore:

• Why we must look beyond translation and ask, “What does wellbeing look like in your culture?”

• How co-creating care with families, faith leaders, and cultural networks transforms outcomes.

• The urgent need for policies that close the data gap, address systemic inequities, and invest in cultural responsiveness at every level.

  
  

While this session is for members of the Black Dog Institute's Suicide Prevention Network, I’ll share reflections after the event here on my blog and through my LinkedIn.

Together, we can move suicide prevention beyond translation and towards transformation.

LEXs is Michael Elwan's Perth-based practice, working online across Australia. Services include training and workshops, lived experience consultancy, Social Work Supervision, Lived Experience Leadership Supervision, Frontline Supervision, therapy and keynote speaking. Training and workshops can be commissioned for organisational leaders, practitioners and frontline teams, and carers, families and communities. Explore LEXs services.