SVSG becomes a Member of Lifeline International

Apia, SAMOA – 17 June 2024 – The Samoa Victim Support Group (SVSG) has become the newest Member of Lifeline International, a network of 27 Members around the world, who run crisis support phone lines.

SVSG was approached in February this year to join the global network as a Member in Samoa, given the organization’s 24 hour free Helpline service for people in crisis situations, which aligned well with those of the network Members.

It was an invitation that came at the right time, as SVSG’s Helpline has provided prevention and support services for our community for fourteen years now since 2013.

SVSG joins over 200 LifeLine Centres operated by 28 Members in 24 countries.

The network provides critical community-based suicide prevention services, delivers suicide and crisis support helplines, and collectively responds to more than 2 million people in crisis and at risk of suicide every year.

In Samoa, SVSG’s Helpline gives people access to support such as telephone counselling, gender-based violence response and suicide crisis support, 24/7 free of charge.

As a Member of LifeLine International, SVSG will utilize the range of benefits to Members including opportunity to share best practice knowledge and standards of practice, research, training, networking, and access to a suicide prevention grants program.

President of SVSG Siliniu Lina Chang says “becoming a Member of LifeLine International opens up new opportunities for SVSG. The network provides a vital platform for improving and scaling up suicide prevention services both locally and internationally. SVSG’s 24/7 free Helpline and community-based awareness programs, led by trained village representatives, play a crucial role in this effort.”

“The opportunity for capacity building, networking, and global discussions on suicide prevention as a public health priority is one of the benefits of being a member of LifeLine International, which SVSG is looking forward to.”