Alive and Kicking Goals in Ireland

A TEAM of more than 20 young Aboriginal Australian footballers recently visited Belfast as part of a tour around Ireland. The Broome Saints, an Aussie Rules team from rural Western Australia, are part of ‘Alive and Kicking Goals!’, a youth suicide prevention project based on peer education.
The group completed a two-week tour around Ireland and had meetings with a range of different organisations including suicide prevention and awareness groups and the GAA
In Belfast, the group did a Black Taxi tour of an Ceathrú Gaeltachta and then met with a delegation from Sinn Féin, including west Belfast MLA Jennifer McCann, Councillors Charlene O’Hara and Caoimhín Mac Giolla Mhín, and leading Irish-language activist Séanna Walsh.
The group explained that youth suicide is a major problem in indigenous communities in Australia, many of which suffer from a lack of government investment, a healthcare crisis and the legacy of racial discrimination.
Project co-ordinator Joe Tighe, who works in Broome but is originally from County Meath, said:
“This project is aimed at bridging the enormous gap between the Australian statutory health agencies and indigenous communities in the Kimberley desert by training young people within the community to be peer educators on suicide prevention.
“Alive and Kicking Goals encompasses community development, youth health, sport and music, and a big highlight of the project is this trip to Ireland – which has been great fun and educational for all the guys.”
The Sinn Féin delegation discussed the experience of suicide prevention work in west Belfast, the movement to revive the Irish language, and the development of the Peace Process and power-sharing Executive.
Twinbrook Councillor Charlene O’Hara, who is also the chair of the Colin Drug and Alcohol Forum, told the visiting group:
“There is a lot in common in our experiences, in terms of suicide having a disproportionate effect on our communities, which are economically deprived and affected by the legacy of discrimination. There is also the further challenge of overcoming the barriers between the statutory agencies and local communities.
“The Broome project is very worthwhile and provides a valuable model for others to learn from, using the principles of peer education and sport to help in the fight against youth suicide.”