As the mum of two teenage boys, it’s incredibly scary to know that young men comprise one of the highest risk categories for suicide.

I want my sons, their friends and all young people to know that it’s OK to feel down and that there is somewhere to go for help. I want them to feel comfortable to be able to talk openly about their issues and concerns.

In the last two or three years, I think there’s been real progress in mental health awareness, but there is still a long way to go. So I want to encourage everyone to start conversations about mental health; normalise it so that it’s something that’s OK to talk about.

The AIS/Lifeline initiative provides an incredible opportunity to connect with communities, share our own stories of resilience, and encourage everyone to open up and talk about mental health and wellbeing.

Many years ago my mum volunteered her time to what back then was called the Crisis Care Hotline. She’s very compassionate, thoughtful, caring and a great listener.

I guess, a bit like my mum, I want to be able to help people who are in emotional distress be able to reach out, and to provide a bit of hope and connection back into our community.