OnTrack to ASIST
You can help create a safer,
more supportive racing industry
OnTrack is proud to deliver the ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) programme in partnership with A-OK and LivingWorks.
ASIST is a globally recognised, evidence-based workshop that helps you recognise when someone might be at risk of suicide, respond with confidence and care, and support them to stay safe whilst connecting them to help.
Why should I do ASIST?
From Connector to Confident Helper:
As a Champion trained in safeTALK and peer support, you already know how to notice and open the conversation when someone’s in trouble. ASIST is the next step, it gives you the skills to really help.
If you’ve seen the difference Champions can make, imagine what you can do with ASIST in your toolkit. Ready to step up, and not just connect, but actively support someone in need.
Learn life-saving intervention skills, not just noticing risk, but also building safety plans and walking alongside someone through a crisis.
Gain deeper confidence, you’ll feel more ready and able to respond, not just being alert and connecting
Enhance your impact in the community, joining a network of trained helpers who support each other
Can I do ASIST if I am not a Champion?
Yes – This training is for everyone in the racing community – trainers, stablehands, jockeys, drivers, club staff, volunteers and more. You don’t need any previous experience just a willingness to be there for someone who might be struggling.
ASIST is a two-day, in-person workshop that gives a grounding in suicide first aid. It is already used extensively in communities, health settings, sports clubs, and workplaces around the world. It’s practical, proven, and easy to apply in real life.
Why it matters in our racing community
We all know that our racing industry is like no other. It’s fast, demanding, and often isolating. Alongside the stresses of our daily lives these pressures can take a toll, and people don’t always know how or when to ask for help.
ASIST gives you the skills to recognise when someone is at risk, know what to say, and how to help, so that no one has to face things alone.
By building a shared understanding and a culture of care, we can strengthen the safety net in our own industry.
Is ASIST proven?
What the evidence shows:
- ASIST is the world’s most widely used suicide intervention training
- It’s backed by independent, peer-reviewed research
- People trained in ASIST are more ready and able to help when it counts
- In one study, people were 74% less likely to remain suicidal after talking with someone trained in ASIST
- They also felt more hopeful, less overwhelmed, and less depressed
Gould, M. S., Cross, W., Pisani, A. R., Munfakh, J. L. H., & Kleinman, M. (2013). Impact of ASIST training on the national suicide prevention lifeline. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior
What to expect at the workshop
ASIST is interactive, practical, and designed with real-world situations in mind. The workshop is led by two experienced facilitators from A-OK who’ve delivered ASIST across Aotearoa for over a decade.
You’ll take part in:
Small group discussions in a safe and respectful setting
Reflecting on your values, strengths and responses
Real scenarios, video learning, and supported practice
Learning tools you can use straight away, at work, and in everyday life
Building a personal safety plan
Some facts
Worldwide more than 720,000 people die due to suicide every year
WHO 2025
Suicide is a major public health issue in New Zealand
Mental Health Foundation NZ
2023/24 in New Zealand we lost 617 people to suspected suicide
health nz – te whatu ora
For those living in rural areas suicide rates are approximately 40% higher for males and 20% higher for females than those living in urban areas
health nz – te whatu ora
Between 2017/2021 approximately 12% of suicides were work-related
- 86% of work-related suicides involved stressors related to work
- 22% of work-related suicides used means related to work
- 10% of work-related suicides occurred in the deceased person’s workplace
Worksafe – Examining the role of work factors in suicide 2024
In racing more almost half of our participants indicated poor wellbeing and quality of life
- 11% thought they would be better
off dead - 6% seriously thought about ending
their life - 3% had made plans to end their life
Ross, V. et al (2024). Industry Wellbeing and Hazards Survey. Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, Brisbane.
In 2024 OnTrack attended 3 postventions for those lost to suicide
Suicide is preventable
Ready to get involved?
Places are limited on this two-day course. Complete the enquiry form below, or get in touch with Kim for more information.
Stay in touch.
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Become an OnTrack Champion
Our Champions are the backbone of the OnTrack programme! As a volunteer, you’ll play a crucial role in supporting your peers and be part of a dedicated network improving mental health and wellbeing in the racing industry. Be the key to our success and help us create a stronger, healthier community.
Mā tini, mā mano, ka rapa te whai.
By many, by thousands, the work will be done.