Zero2hero visits the Kimberley to deliver mental health education

Representatives from zero2hero, a WA-based youth mental health charity, visited Broome Primary School and Looma Remote Community School earlier this month to deliver vital preventative mental health education.

Over the course of the visit the team worked with 120 students in Years 5 to 9, providing workshops focused on leadership, resilience and a foundational understanding of mental health.

Additionally, zero2hero conducted three safeTALK workshops for 25 participants.

These sessions gave attendees practical skills to recognise when someone may be experiencing suicidal thoughts and how to safely guide them to support.

safeTALK is a nationally accredited, half-day suicide prevention program open to anyone over 15.

It is designed to break the stigma surrounding mental health and suicide while providing life-saving skills.

According to the WA Primary Health Alliance Needs Assessment, youth emergency department presentations for mental health in the Kimberley are three times the State average — statistics that highlight the urgent need for preventative education and support in the area.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare seconded this, stating the Kimberley region has some of the highest suicide and self-harm rates in the state.

zero2hero chief executive, Ashlee Harrison said they are very aware that young people in regional WA face unique challenges when it comes to mental health and stressed the important of delivering education around mental health to remote communities.

“Our programs equip these incredible young people with the skills, confidence and tools to make a difference for themselves and the people around them,” she said.

“This isn’t just about individual futures — it has the potential to save lives and strengthen whole communities,” she said.

“In towns like Broome and Looma, young people are experiencing higher rates of self-harm and suicide than their city peers, but services are stretched thin.

These regional trips are helping break down a geographical barrier and giving a young person in WA the chance to build resilience, find their voice, and ask for help when they need it most.”

This was zero2hero’s second visit to Looma in 2025, their most remote delivery yet, reaching a tight-knit community of just over 500 people.