Lean on Me demonstrates that the responsibility for providing
suicide prevention in LGBTQ communities in Melbourne, Australia, frequently falls on peers
with little or no training in responding to a mental health crisis. This report explores
how LGBTQ individuals experiencing mental health concerns turn to their peers. Those
being leant on provide crucial support. In some cases, they very likely save
the lives of their fellow community members. Providing informal mental
health-related support, however, can impact on a peer’s own wellbeing, even leading
to burnout. This report highlights a need for strategies to reduce levels of
mental ill health in LGBTQ communities and ensure that informal support roles
are sustainable.