Fremantle Dockers forward Michael Walters has been appointed as a One Life ambassador after the suicide prevention arm of the Mental Health Commission joined Freo as a community event partner for 2015.
Community Event Parters wrapped up for 2015
Walters said he was passionate about getting involved to try and spread positive messages to the Indigenous community.
“This is a big issue with Indigenous people, not just here in the Perth community but up north, down south and around the regional areas,” he said.
“If I can help to raise the profile of One Life and spread positive messages, especially to the younger community, then I’d like to try and make an impact.”
Walters said it struck home hard when he read statistics that showed suicide rates were above average among Indigenous people in WA.
He also lost a close friend a few years ago to suicide.
“It affected me a lot because I saw him as a cousin,” Walters said.
“If only he’d spoken out, maybe people would have known, maybe we could have gone to him and spoken to him.
“No one knows until it happens.”
Walters said it was often difficult for males to speak out, especially with Indigenous men.
“There’s always the stigma of trying to be a strong man,” he said.
“Speak out, no matter who you speak to, friends, family or whoever, just speak out and get things off your chest.”
Walters said the onus was also on family and friends to act if someone was behaving uncharacteristically.
“If the person is quiet, if they seem to be stuck inside themselves when they are usually extroverted, if they get on the alcohol a bit more or duck off and you don’t see them for weeks, they can be signs of depression,” he said.
“Everyone can see the signs, but it’s whether you go and speak to them.
“The first step is to go speak to them, you could be wrong, but you’re better off speaking to them than to let it go and something happens.”
‘Son Son’ said one of his aims as a One Life ambassador would be to visit as many schools as possible to spread the key messages.
“The children are the ones who are going to be the future,” he said.
“The more you speak to, the more it will branch out.
“It’s just like planting a seed. Plant a seed here and let it grow and then plant another one somewhere else.”
Mental Health Minister Helen Morton was thrilled to have Walters join forces with One Life.
“Having Michael Walters on board as a suicide prevention ambassador will help reduce stigma around mental health and suicide among Aboriginal people, who have a higher rate of suicide than the Western Australian average,” she said.
“Michael is already regarded as a mentor and role model by young Aboriginal men and he will be using his influence in a positive way to spread the message that it is ok to talk and ask for help.”
For more information on One Life, please visit www.onelifewa.com.au
