Who We Are
Thirrili is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Organisation grounded in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing.
Thirrili was established in 2017 in response to the lack of culturally safe, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led postvention support for families and communities affected by suicide and traumatic loss.
Thirrili has grown from a national suicide postvention response service into a broader culturally grounded healing, wellbeing and systems leadership organisation. While postvention remains central to our work, we now work across community healing, capacity building, systems coordination, workforce support and policy influence.
Our work is grounded in the strengths, knowledge and lived and living experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities. We work across families, communities, organisations, and governments to strengthen culturally grounded practice, improve coordination, and contribute to pathways to healing, wellbeing, and prevention.
Our Vision
That Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities are thriving.
Our Purpose
To walk alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities affected by suicide and traumatic loss, providing culturally safe suicide postvention and prevention support and strengthened pathways to healing.
How we Work
Thirrili provides culturally grounded support across the suicide and traumatic loss continuum, while strengthening community capability, workforce wellbeing, partnerships and system responses.
We are guided by self-determination, lived and living experience, cultural responsiveness, informed practice, collaboration and trust. We work alongside communities, recognising and respecting the cultural knowledge, strengths and ways of healing that already exist within families and communities.
Our work extends beyond responding to individual loss. We contribute to stronger community-led responses, support the people and organisations working with communities, and advocate for more culturally safe and responsive systems.
Story of Thirrili
Founded in 2017, Thirrili takes pride in being the national provider for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander postvention support and assistance. Our approach is all about recognising and harnessing the inherent strength of individuals, families and communities.
When Adele Cox, the Founding Director of Thirrili, envisioned a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to leading the charge in addressing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide prevention and postvention, she had a heart-to-heart with her Aunty, June Oscar AO. It was during this conversation that the term Thirrili was suggested, capturing not only the nature of the mission but also acknowledging Adele’s cultural roots as a proud Bunuba and Gija woman.
Our Cultural Values
To the Bunuba people, the word Thirrili carries a profound meaning: power and strength. It's not just a name; it's the very essence of who we are. We draw power and strength from our deep ancestral connection to Country, and we try to honour this in every aspect of our work. We aim to create space where peace and hope can thrive, blending the old ways with new beginnings.
At Thirrili, we believe in being a collective force, ensuring that decisions are always community-led. Respect and reciprocity are our guiding principles, and we grant support and services only when families place their trust in us. Together, as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, we celebrate our diversity and strive to be inclusive and accessible to all, reflecting the rich tapestry of our communities across Australia.
Our cultural values are embedded into all aspects of our organisation. We are:
- Collective, working with communities by invitation to support community led decision making
- Respectful, working with communities under their protocols, at their direction
- Reciprocal, ensuring we provide support and service when communities grant us their trust
- Relationship based: we understand, and respect that our relationship with individuals, families and communities is based on a continuum of care which reaches beyond any one incident or event, and is founded in our shared identity as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Diverse, our organisation reflects the complex composition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Australia, is inclusive and accessible to all
Strategic Direction 23-25
Thirrili's Strategic Plan is guided by commitments, priorities and targets from important federal and state policies that speak to the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
