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Mt Compass Hotel publicans Rick and Lois Prest are the first publicans to have signed up to the The Pub Whisperer Support Over Suicide program as they feel there is a need in the community, now more than ever, to assist people doing it tough with the specialised training.
“Since COVID I have noticed a shift with many people,” says Mr Prest. “We’ve been here 6 and a ½ years and many conversations involve discussions around anxiety within the community. It’s just something we’ve observed as publicans. “Given the reality of mortgage and rental increases, society is experiencing financial stress.” “A few months ago a young lad in the area suicided. He wasn’t a regular patron but he was part of the crew. Unfortunately he left a young child behind. Which has saddened the community.” Statistics show that for every one person who suicides 100 people in the community or more are affected. Further research has found that of the 9 people who suicide every day in Australia, up to 69% have alcohol in their system and 10% have a gambling problem. Seven of those nine people are men. “Pubs are part of the community and having a gamble on the pokies or having a drink can actually be dangerous when done to excess,” adds Mr Prest. “By doing The Pub Whisperer program we want to be in a position where people are safe if they choose to do that in excess and are not thinking clearly.” “Pubs are the hubs of the community,” says The Pub Whisperer founder Jono Hart. “They’re the heart and soul of small towns and where people meet to engage with their mates.” “In many ways bar and gaming staff are on the frontline to help people get the support they need. This is where the training will help.” Mr Hart’s idea for The Pub Whisperer came about during the start of COVID in 2020, after already travelling Australia in 2017 filming some iconic Aussie Pubs and creating this website to celebrate those pubs that care for their community. A survivor of mental health issues himself, Jono created the Suicide Prevention Checklist for Publicans, which is available as a free to download from his website, and also two Pubs Supporting People Days, which pushed tables together to remind people of the importance of community during the pandemic. “Great people make great pubs”, says Jono. “And what is the No.1 leadership trait in these times? Kindness. “Pubs are on the frontline of mental health issues in the community and knowing how to respond to people doing it tough and not in a good place is really important, for everyone.” “Some people don’t have a mate to confide in and so where do they go to feel included? The pub. If publicans can get their vulnerable patrons to a place of safety so that they replace their thoughts of suicide with ones of hope then they can feel like they are doing their community proud.” “Our training is about providing quiet conversations that can prevent silent deaths. Often these are TRICKY conversations: an acronym for Trusted, Respected, Integrity, Confidentiality, Kindness and Your good self. Which is everything a Pub Whisperer needs to be.” The Pub Whisperer Support Over Suicide online course is due to be released shortly, with pubs coming on board receiving subscription to the Great Aussie Pubs and The Pub Whisperer websites as well as promotional material including coasters, posters, stickers and caps. Rotary McLaren Vale President Briony Casburn says The Pub Whisperer is an initiative which has the power to save lives. “It’s a ripple effect,” she says. “It saves families. It saves the community. And Rotary is all about community.” The Great Aussie Pub.
It’s a place where mates meet, drinks are drunk and friendships are forged. But its also a place where people go to escape their problems – and sometimes the escape itself can become an addiction. That addiction alone can become dangerous. Were you aware that gambling addicts are more likely to be found at a pub than anywhere else? Were you aware that there are more people dependent on alcohol found in pubs more than anywhere else? And the stats tell us that when 9 people suicide everyday, up to 69% of them have alcohol in their system (Cherpitel, Borges and Wilcox) and 10% have a gambling issue (Suicide Prevention Australia Gambling Report 2022). This means pubs, family and friends all have responsibilities. And wouldn't you agree we need to have responsibilities? I liken the scenario to my favourite Dad pub joke... an empty coke can walks into a pub and asks for a beer. The bartender looks him up and down and says “sorry mate, I can see you’re already drunk”. What I’m saying is, we as a community need to look at things differently. That's why our Great Aussie Pubs are the hubs. They are the keeper and creator of community. The underlying issue is that frontline staff could play a role to help people doing it tough. Which is where the Pub Whisperer Support Over Suicide prevention training comes in. Says one publican who has already come on board: "Pubs are part of the community and having a gamble or having a drink can actually be dangerous when done to excess. By doing The Pub Whisperer course and being part of that community we want to be in a position where people are safe if they choose to do that in excess and are not thinking clearly." Being The Pub Whisperer in your bar empowers you to navigate a TRICKY conversation. TRICKY standing for – trusted, respected, integrity, confidentiality, kindness and your good self – all key components of a Pub Whisperer. It’s often a quiet conversation too – which is where the Pub Whisperer name comes in. Because these are silent deaths in the community. Can you imagine being a Pub Whisperer, being all you can be, knowing you saved a life? Are you interested in creating better community? Giving your customers the best experience possible? To quench not only their thirst for liquid but thirst for community, friendship and that soul kind of feeling? It could be a kind heart, a kindred soul or just someone they needed to see that day. No intention of needing to drown one's sorrows. Because you have helped them get to a place of safety? So lets make sure that instead of silent deaths, people are heard. Equip your staff to manage these TRICKY conversations and give them practical ways to respond to conversations that may pop up. Because every pub needs a Pub Whisperer: providing quiet conversations, preventing silent deaths. There's a role for everyone to play. The Pub Whisperer is supported by Rotary. Visit www.thepubwhisperer.com for more. I was at The Old Bush Inn this week.
Gavin was enthusiastic about getting the first Pub Whisperer poster up on the noticeboard. The poster has a QR code for patrons to get help if theyre doing it tough. The code sends them through to a list of helplines where they can get support if they're suicidal or just overwhelmed by life. Check it out at www.thepubwhisperer.com Today is R U OK Day.
Not just the the one day on the calendar you're allowed to ask someone if they're OK, because that's everyday, but a day highlighting the issues of poor mental health in the community. If you're down the pub and you're worried about someone's mental health my best advice to you is: be genuine. Say: "This is what I've noticed. This is why I'm worried about you". Start the conversation. From there it could lead to a chat about the things that they're finding tough to deal with. And from there it could lead to any number of "therapies" - a psychologist, a men's shed, a men's group or even just a hug. This week, while out fund-raising for The Pub Whisperer project and Suicide Prevention Check-list, I met a lady who passed on this map...
It just so happens that I'm doing the World Suicide Day walk on Saturday, raising funds for Suicide Prevention. If you'd like to be a part of my team visit the link below. The coast from Maslins Beach to Moana really is beautiful this time of the year. We meet at 11am at the Maslins Beach playground. Hope to see you there... https://www.outoftheshadowswalk.org.au/fundraisers/thepubwhisperer Saturday is World Suicide Day.
Just a reminder this Suicide Prevention Checklist is available for free download for bar staff and publicans. Plus, if you're going through a hard time right now, there is a free dowloadable booklet from Jono "The OG Pub Whisperer" 🤠 which has the teachings of many "spiritual" teachers who assist in gaining peace of mind. Advice which has helped Jono to battle his own demons of depression. Go to www.greataussiepubs.com.au for more. And if you can, find someone you can trust to talk to. If there's no one you know then visit the following link to gain access to a variety of Aussie mental health support numbers.👇 https://www.thepubwhisperer.com/national-crisis-numbers---australia.html It's not about the architecture... It's not about the great schnitzels... It's not about the views... It's about the people. Great People Make Great Pubs. It's like that saying... people will forget what you said or did, but they'll remember how you made them feel. So what does it take to be listed on this website as a Great Aussie Pub? A few main criteria apply.
Partnering with SA's Mental Health Partners Great Aussie Pubs now provides free mental health first aid training to pubs that takes up one of our video packages. These packages start from just $497. Contact us here for more info and a breakdown of what you get. Right now the hospitality industry is in crisis, with pressure of the affects and rules of Covid19 crippling the industry. But with a culture of care we can turn it around. Pubs are often the places people go to escape their problems and the world right now, so as a society we need to be creating strategies for bar staff to know when people are thinking of ending their life. Because we're all in this together. And we all have a duty of care to our fellow men and women. Great Aussie Pubs has created a Suicide Prevention Checklist poster which is downloadable for publicans from the www.greataussiepubs.com.au website for free and an A.D.A.P.T. Mental Health Resource for men struggling with their mental health. In the past it's clear that some pubs have not been proactive in their approach to creating better mental health for their patrons. Gambling, alcohol and pokie addiction are all cases to point to. We're here to celebrate the pubs that do care about their community, with actions speaking louder than words. Pubs across the country have been suffering in silence since Covid19 hit with an array of new rules that have hurt the hospitality industry in the past 18 months. Rules around hotel patrons being unable to drink standing up, being unable to sing and dance or order a drink without a mask has taken its toll on communities. Mental illness is at an all time high, up 27% on hospital admissions since before COVID, with people unsure how to behave in their local. And as a result patronage has been in decline. Even before Covid19 statistics relating to alcohol abuse were alarming. Around the world 3 million people die of alcohol-related causes every year. Of that figure around 30,000 are Australians. It means a staggering 5.3% of all deaths worldwide are alcohol-related. That figure rose by 8.3% in 2020 in Australia, according to The Australian Bureau of Statistics. Then there are the statistics of suicide due to alcohol. An international review reporting that up to 69% of cases contain a positive blood alcohol concentration at the time of death. It is also responsible for around 70,000 therapy treatments in Australia every year. We need to address these statistics with answers to these problems. |
AuthorJono Hart is an award-winning print journalist, host, radio announcer and speaker. Archives
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