Empowering Voices is a lived and living experience led community initiative hosted by Katie Shields and Trevor Talbot
We bring complementary lived, living and professional expertise across suicidal distress, mental and emotional distress, alcohol and other drug use, harm reduction, peer support, policy, community development and system navigation.
Our approach is grounded in mutuality, autonomy, non judgement and the belief that people with lived and living experience hold valuable knowledge about what helps, what harms and what needs to change.
Empowering Voices aims to create community spaces where people can speak honestly about distress and intersecting life experiences without being reduced to a diagnosis, risk category or service response. We are interested in building practical, community based alternatives that strengthen connection, choice and local capacity.
Current work includes Brisbane Northside Alternatives to Suicide, peer and community groups, harm reduction focused activities, community education and the development of new lived experience led responses.
Your Hosts
Katie Shields
Lived and Living Experience Consultant with intersectional expertise across suicidal distress, mental and emotional distress, alcohol and other drug use, service systems, policy, co design and community led responses.
Trevor Talbot
Lived and Living Experience practitioner with particular expertise in alcohol and other drug use, harm reduction, suicidal distress, peer support and grassroots community responses.
Together, we are interested in creating spaces where people can connect as people first, share knowledge, build relationships and contribute to the kinds of responses they want to see in their own communities.
Alternatives to Suicide
The Alternatives to Suicide approach began in 2008 through the Western Massachusetts Recovery Learning Community, now known as The Wildflower Alliance. Alt2Su creates space for people to speak openly about suicidal thoughts and distress, explore what those experiences mean for them, and consider what might make life feel more possible or worth staying for.
The Alternatives to Suicide Charter, developed by The Wildflower Alliance, sets out the core principles and practices that guide how Alt2Su groups are held.A peer led space to talk openly about suicidal thoughts, feelings and distress.
Brisbane Northside
No judgement. No fixing. No need to pretend.
The group is facilitated by people with lived and living experience of suicidal distress, including suicidal thoughts and attempts, as well as the experiences of caring for or being bereaved by someone affected by suicide. ALT2SU offers a non clinical, community based space for honest conversation, connection and mutual support.
You do not need a referral, diagnosis or explanation for why you are coming. You can participate as much or as little as feels right for you.
Donation to attend, if you are able. Your contribution helps cover tea, coffee, snacks and the practical costs of keeping the group running.
No one will be turned away for being unable to donate.
Be part of growing more peer led, community based support on Brisbane’s Northside.
Come as you are.