Tim Metcalfe says our capacity to be "good listeners" was important in communicating with those who were suffering from mental health issues and that Covid-19 had strengthened a sense of community in Whanganui.
Thursday is World Suicide Prevention Day and highlights the need to work together to support people affected by suicide, and to reach out to those in the community who are most at risk.
"I've encountered some tragic situations where a parent has committed suicide and I've seen the impact on the children," the Jigsaw Whanganui executive officer said.
"The work that gets done in our children's early years really is key to good communication as they go through their teens and further on, when they do encounter difficulties and challenges in their lives.
Metcalfe said that the Covid-19 pandemic had heightened the feeling of community in Whanganui, and that goodwill between each other was "critical" moving forward in the effort to prevent suicide.
