VIC STORM – ONSITE - Ballarat (2 day training 9.30am-4pm)
STORM® is a skills-based model of suicide risk management and postvention training offered to relevant Victorian DE school staff.
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Location
DE Regional Office - Central Highlands Area
Gariwerd Room 109 Armstrong Street North Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung Lands Ballarat, VIC 3350 AustraliaAbout this event
STORM® Training for Victorian Department of Education Staff
STORM® (Skills-based Training on Suicide Risk Management) is a two-day training designed specifically for staff within the Victorian Department of Education (DE) who are responsible for completing suicide risk assessments and safety plans. This training is available in both online and onsite formats, so please double-check the delivery mode before registering.
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This Session is Onsite
Please remember, you’ll need to be available and present for both full days. The training is interactive, featuring group discussions, individual and group activities, and skills practice (including an opportunity for filmed practice). To get the most out of the training, please ensure you’re present and uninterrupted during both days.
For ethical and clinical reasons, you must attend both full days of the training. Unfortunately, part-time attendance isn’t an option.
Please note: While this session is currently scheduled as onsite, there is a possibility of the training moving to an online format due to circumstances. If this change occurs, participants will be notified in advance.
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What You’ll Gain from This Training
- Confidence & Skills: You’ll build the skills and confidence to support children, adolescents, and young adults who self-harm.
- A Deeper Understanding of Self-Harm: You’ll learn more about the causes and effects of self-harm, and how to approach these sensitive issues.
- Positive Conversations: We’ll teach you how to engage in conversations around risk, vulnerability, and postvention in a positive and empowering way.
- Practical Skills: You’ll extend your skills in suicide risk assessment, short-term safety planning, and postvention (caring for those who are bereaved).
- Postvention Planning: Understand the strategic importance of postvention and how to implement it in a supportive manner.
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STORM® Modules Include:
- Suicide Risk Assessment
- Short-Term Suicide Safety Planning
- Postvention (Supporting the Bereaved)
This program is grounded in current best practices for working with young people (ages 12-24) who are at risk of suicide. It’s based on adult education theories and evidence showing that participants who engage fully (including filmed skills practice) see improvements in skills, confidence, and attitudes around suicide prevention.
To learn more, check out www.stormskillstraining.co.uk.
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Who Can Attend?
This training is only available to staff within the Victorian Department of Education (DE) who are responsible for conducting suicide risk assessments and safety plans with students experiencing suicidal thoughts. Priority is given to those in the following roles:
- Mental Health Practitioners (MHPs)
- Student Support Services (SSS)
- Secondary School Nurses (SSN)
- Wellbeing Staff (must have completed Suicide Risk Continuum Training)
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A Few Important Notes:
- This training builds on your existing knowledge of risk and safety conversations in prevention and postvention contexts. Please make sure to follow any relevant policies and procedures from the Department of Education.
- If you’ve been recently impacted by suicide or grief, we recommend considering delaying the training.
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On the Day:
- Arrival: It’s important to arrive at least 15 minutes before the start time, as access will be denied if you arrive late, for clinical governance and emotional safety reasons.
- Location: Please see your ticket for address
- Breaks: Regular breaks will be provided, along with a longer lunch break. BYO food, snacks, drinks, or even coffee to keep you refreshed.
Skills practice is a key part of this training, and you’ll have the opportunity to take part in filmed practice to help reinforce the learning. Research shows this type of practice helps embed the knowledge long-term.
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Before the Training:
We’ll send you a reminder email and access details closer to the session. Please make sure to review the resources ahead of time.
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Need to Cancel?
If you need to cancel your registration, please email us as soon as possible with your full name, school, and training date. You can reach us at vicworkshops@headspace.org.au.
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We’re excited to have you join us!
Best regards,
headspace Schools & Communities
Frequently asked questions
No. The funding for the training is for only Victorian Department of Education staff.
No, currently this training is only available to Victorian Department of Education employees.
No, STORM is only for those staff who hold the responsibility of undertaking suicide risk and safety planning conversations with students. If you need information about responding to suicide risk, please see Suicide Risk Continuum Training.
Free. The training is fully funded by the Victorian Department of Education. There may be costs to cover CRT or other staffing costs.
No, currently STORM is only available to Victorian Department of Education staff.
headspace is open to discussing options for delivery in other educational sectors in all states across Australia. For further information and discussion please contact headspaceschools@headspace.org.au
Yes, you can attend STORM if part of your role is the complete risk assessment & safety plans with students with the support of your supervisor with written confirmation to VICworkshops@headspace.org.au. If you are studying teaching, this training is not suitable and we recommend SAFEMinds.
Those outside of Allied health roles (Psychologists, Mental Health Practitioner, Secondary School Nurse, Student Support Services and other clinically trained), and have the responsibility to undertake risk assessments and safety plans need to complete Suicide Risk Continuum Training prior to STORM.
For emotional safety contact details must be provided. All information is deleted after training concludes. See the Privacy statement for more information.
We deliver through Microsoft Teams and you require a stable internet connection, working camera and working microphone. We will inform you of which platform will be used for which session.
Check your equipment prior to training and consult your IT department if you have technical difficulties. Your facilitator only can provide limited troubleshooting advice.
Yes. It is a condition of the training that you attend full time. Please choose a session time you can fully commit to. If you leave early, join late, or leave the training to attend to other matters, you will not be able to continue and will need to complete the full course at another time.
No. You must complete both days consecutively. This is a requirement of our licencing agreement and the clinical safety of participants.
The roleplay and filmed component are a compulsory part of the training. Practicing conversation skills and seeing the styles of other practitioners is a key aspect of STORM. There are structures in place to make this a supportive learning experience and as comfortable as possible.
We recommend waiting six months after impact as the content could be emotionally evocative, and you may not process the learning as effectively as you would like. After six months, consider if it is the right time for training.
No, this training is run by headspace Schools & Communities, which is a national initiative. Each headspace Centre is managed independently by a local agency with a local focus.
The BeYou initiative complements our training and can provide additional resources and consultation to your school around a whole school approach to wellbeing and supports schools to prepare, respond and recover from death by suicide.
Both are a 2-day gatekeeper training workshops. STORM is focused on suicide risk assessment, short term safety planning and postvention conversations with young people available for DE staff, whereas ASIST focuses on general population and is available to community members.
The headspace facilitator is tasked with keeping the group safe during training. Emotional safety is discussed involving check in’s, confidentiality and supports. Registration involves providing emergency contact can be contacted should participants need more support.
Yes, SAFEMinds In Practice, Suicide Risk Continuum Training and STORM training are supported thanks to a contract between the Queensland DoE, Victorian DE and headspace.
We recommend you contact your local CAMHS/CYMHS/ELMHS or hospital triage to receive a secondary consult to support your student.
If you are looking for more information about self harming behaviours, we suggest completing SAFEMinds online via the safeminds.org.au website, and/or attending a SAFEMinds In Practice
There are many resources available for parents including – Youth mental health first aid, ASSIST and SAFETalk. Speak with your children’s school to find something relevant in your area. The headspace SAFEMinds program also has a parent and carer page with resources.
Organised by
Enhancing Mental Health Support in Schools
Enhancing Mental Health Support in Schools is fully funded by the Department of Education (DE) and delivered by headspace Schools & Communities. The professional learning offered include SAFEMinds: In Practice, Suicide Risk Continuum Training (SRCT) and STORM® and aims to support staff in DE school settings to increase confidence and knowledge to support colleagues, parents and young people, through onsite and online delivery across Victoria.