Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health’s #chatsafe project is supported by funding from the Australian Government, under the National Suicide Prevention Leadership and Support Program.

Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health was first established on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respect to Elders past, present and emerging and to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples throughout Australia.

The authors thank our project partners: The University of Melbourne, Everymind and Facebook.

The authors thank Simon Goodrich, Ryan Blandon, Libby de Souza and Sarah Kaur from Portable: A digital design and technology company for graphic design and layout.

The authors are extremely grateful to the following expert panel members for their invaluable contribution to the development of these guidelines: Dr John Ackerman, Dr Bart Andrews, Professor Ella Arensman, Eleanor Bailey, Dr Jo Bell, Katherine Berney, Kim Borrowdale, Emily Boubis, Emily Cole, Dr Georgina Cox, Brooke Cross, Han Duong, Bronwen Edwards, Penny Fannin, Marie Gallo-Dyak, Rhylee Hardiman, Amy Hatfield, Professor Keith Hawton, Associate Professor Sarah Hetrick, Taylor Johnstone, Jenya Kalagurgevic, Sharanjit Kaur, Sarah Langley, Tina Li, Britt Liebeck, Dr Ann Luce, Lilian Ma, Nikolina Mabic, Roxxanne MacDonald, Kathryn McGrath, Mary Mansilla, Denise Meine-Graham, Dr Katherine Mok, Dr Sally Morris, Katherine Newton, Associate Professor Thomas Niederkrotenthaler, Meghan O’Keefe, Professor Jong-Ik Park, Emily Parry, Dr Dan Reidenberg, Dr Simon Rice, Ella Robinson-Clarke, Associate Professor Vincent Silenzio, Assistant Professor Mark Sinyor, Professor Merike Sisask, Dr Jaelea Skehan, Ellen Sproule, Andrew Synnot, Assistant Professor Benedikt Till, Dr Michael Utterson, Ash West, Professor Paul Yip and Assistant Professor Nerissa Young.

We acknowledge young people, as well as their friends and families, who have lived experience of suicide; including those who have attempted suicide and those bereaved by suicide. We remember friends we have lost by suicide and recognise the suffering that suicide brings when it touches our lives and community.

We recognise the communities of young people who are at increased risk of suicide, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, LGBTIQA+ young people, those people in rural and remote areas of Australia and those suffering from mental illness or social disadvantage.

The voices of young people are vital in our suicide prevention work and we join them in hope for the future.

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