What's in the LifeKeepers name?
LifeKeepers is a fresh, new take on something called ‘Gatekeeper training’. Gatekeeper training is an internationally proven, evidence-based approach to suicide prevention training, which dates back to the 1960s.
‘Gatekeepers’ are people who ‘open the gate’ for someone who might be at risk of suicide; they remove the barriers, and make it easier for someone at risk to get the help and support they need.
However, in our research, New Zealander’s told us they didn’t like the name gatekeeper. They also told us that preventing suicide is about keeping people in our communities safe from harm - protecting and cherishing life.
The Logo
DNA is the very essence of who we are. It is a symbol of life. It represents the good things we have inherited from our ancestors, and all that we might pass on to future generations. Every individual has their own unique DNA, and DNA represents that individuality as well. LifeKeepers is about holding on to life; onto all of that history, potential, and uniqueness; onto what makes us who we are.
LifeKeepers is also about community connectedness—about the relationships we have with one another. The double helix is represented by two strands of harakeke (flax); a symbol of whānau and of the strong, positive relationships that we, as LifeKeepers, nurture in our communities. We wrap around others to provide care and protection and we connect those at risk with the support they need.
The three koru in the LifeKeepers logo express our connection to the past, the present, and the future, as well as the he values of tika (honesty – honestly acknowledging and accepting the past), pono (faith – strong belief in our present purpose), and marama (understanding – the knowledge and skills needed to find a way forward). Together, these elements embody what it takes to create communities of C.A.R.E and equip people with the skills and knowledge needed to prevent suicide.