How do you persuade somebody that their life is worth living?
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That's the question Val Woodland will be answering when she holds her training sessions for the Griffith Suicide Prevention and Support Group.
She's looking to recruit and train some volunteers to help her man the mobile phone and pick up calls from those with nowhere else to turn.
Mrs Woodland has been picking up the phone for the last 15 years, and over that time she's saved countless lives.
"It's really not as hard as you think, because deep down people don't want to die," Mrs Woodland said.
"All it takes is a small thread of hope and a strategy to get them through that dark period, then they can make more rational decisions."
Mrs Woodland finds that simply being there as a caring voice on the other end of the line can make all the difference for somebody who feels like they have nobody to turn to.
Talking through the problem is a vital step, she says; the ones at the greatest risk of committing suicide are those who never say anything and never seek help.
Once they do seek help, Mrs Woodland says, the battle is half won.
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"When they call us we try to find something that is meaningful to them in their life," she said.
In her experience, it's those human connections that make life truly meaningful - connections to friends, family, or even a caring stranger on the other end of a telephone line.
Those interested in volunteering for the Griffith Suicide Prevention and Support Group hotline can call Val Woodland on 0408 202 376.
If there is enough interest, she will be holding her next training session at Saturday on April 6.
People who need support or information about suicide prevention can call Griffith Suicide Prevention and Support Group on 1300 133 911 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
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