About Systarah Services

Welcome to the heart of Systarah Services.

Here you'll discover our story, strengths and vision for building resilient, compassionate communities. 

Our story

Systarah Services was founded by Helen Munn in 2025.  For over 25 years, Helen has been working, volunteering and studying in the environmental, social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB), mental health and suicide prevention space.  Since 2015, Helen has been active in community development work related to mental health, suicide prevention and health services in Central Queensland.

Helen has noticed an encouraging increase in community-led mental health and suicide prevention initiatives. However, she also recognised that some public activities can unintentionally create risks if they are not carefully designed and implemented. This can happen due to several reasons:

  • Australia currently lacks national codes of practice and standards, and there are gaps in suicide prevention terminology.
  • There is a noticeable gap in academic training, with only one of the 1,484 subjects offered across 33 Australian universities’ social work programmes specifically dedicated to suicide prevention (Pryor, Wayland and Maple’s 2023).
  • The mental health and suicide prevention sector experiences high staff turnover, and peer workers are taking on suicide prevention community development roles.
  • People may find it difficult to get the right balance between:
    • Challenging stigma related to mental health concerns and suicide.
    • Normalising help-seeking and help-offering  whilst not normalising suicide behaviours,  or glorifying people or a person who has ended their life.

These factors can pose challenges when planning, implementing. and delivering community initiatives related to SEWB. That’s where Systarah Services comes in. Helen is keen to work alongside community groups and organisations to identify their needs;  and wherever possible, bridge gaps with evidence-informed resources, research and services to build safer and more supportive spaces for everyone.

What sets us apart?

We see the world through a unique lens: this supports forging connections and listening for the silent voices.

The services are all informed by the founder's lived experiences, and academic and professional backgrounds. This enables her to:

  • Navigate the ‘evidence to practice gap’ to support community development and influence community activities to foster social and emotional wellbeing.
  • Traverse cultural interfaces including with First Nation and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse peoples; people living with disabilities; those exposed to DFV;  people with lived and living experience of mental health concerns and/or of suicide.
  • Provide pathways to connect people, build capacity, and foster a kinder and more resilient community.

Connect, Empower, Inspire

Helen Munn (she/her)

Helen acknowledges her own complex Aboriginal ancestry, and respects the influence it has played in her life decisions. The name 'Systarah'  was created to reflect her belief of the importance of 'connected systems'; whether its environmental, social, technical or spiritual. It was created by combining two words:

  • 'Systems' to recognise the human and natural processes that are continually evolving and influencing our activities, health and wellbeing.
  • 'Ara' to represent an altar, a place of special significance; where we celebrate the connections between our earth, each other, and the plants and animals that share our world.
  • The 'h' is for Helen. 

Our principles

Systarah Services are based on the following values and behaviours:

  • Respect for the Australian research-based knowledge translation in guiding government-funded services related to Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) programs.
  • Gratitude for Government-funded mental health and suicide prevention programs and commissioned services.
  • Commitment to prioritise and promote evidence-informed services and training opportunities to highlight their credibility, and support their reach and viability.
  • Awareness that anti-stigma campaigns have resulted in an increase in community members being involved in public activities related to mental health and suicide prevention; and that at times this can be problematic.
  • Accepting there are resources available but hard to navigate for the layperson.
  • Mindful that in 2025, there are significant gaps in suicide prevention terminology and in social work academic studies, and no National Standards or Communities of Practice to adequately support decision-making and risk assessments related to public activities involving mental health and suicide prevention.
  • Acknowledging the need to support connecting community based services and community members to evidence-informed resources and research to inform risk assessments: especially when related to public activities.
  • Our aim is to work with individuals, community groups, organisations, government agencies and researchers to create safer, kinder and more reflective communities and work-spaces. 

"The vision of Systarah Services is to strengthen pathways that connect people, develop communities, and inspire a kinder, more resilient society for generations to come." 

Helen Munn - founder