Steven 'Neffy' Neff representing the We Listen Suicide Support Group at Benalla's Creating Community Connections Expo in February 2025.
While Benalla’s Creating Community Connections Expo offered an opportunity for local people to find a fun pastime or group to join, it also offered something much more important.
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A number of vital community service groups exhibited at the event, including the We Listen Suicide Loss Support Group.
Its chair, Steven ‘Neffy’ Neff, said he and fellow committee member Josh Evans were pleased to be involved and had important conversations with local people affected by suicide.
“We've got support groups in Shepparton, Benalla, Cobram and Echuca. We’re the largest in regional Victoria and possibly Australia,” Neffy said.
“Council invited us to the expo so we could gauge the community response to what we offer and speak to people about suicide and the impact it has in Benalla Rural City.
"We probably had over 10, maybe more people come to us and say, look, that’s a great idea, we want to get involved.“
Neffy said they spoke to several people who had lost someone to suicide.
“There was one that was very sad. One person had lost four family members to suicide,” he said.
Steven ‘Neffy’ Neff wants to remove the stigma attached to speaking about people who have been lost to suicide.
Photo by
Owen Sinclair
“They were quite distressed, but they were happy to tell us about the people they’d lost.
“What we do is focus on the person’s life lived and the memories and what that meant to that person left behind.
“You’ve got to talk about the person who passed away because they’re part of your life for the rest of your life.
“They’ve been part of your life, and they’re still part of your life.
“So we focus on the people who are left behind, how they’re travelling now. What can we do to support them now?”
Neffy said that while suicide was once a topic never spoken about, the stigma of those conversations was slowly going away.
“Even now it can be a big taboo, because of the stigma and the shame,” he said.
“But that is slowly changing.”
The We Listen Suicide Loss Support Group in Benalla meets twice a month.
“And we always follow up with people and say ‘It’s Neffy here, I’m just checking in to see how you’ve been’,” he said.
“We have that personal touch.
“Our main motivation is about awareness of suicide and to let people know that we want to support you guys.
“Because, as you know, the regional suicide statistics are alarming.”
According to federal government figures, 34 per cent of suicide deaths in Victoria in 2024 were in regional areas.
Meetings in Benalla are held at the CWA Hall on Bridge St East.
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