Suicide is Everybody’s Business

PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide is helping to build suicide-safer schools and colleges in Worcestershire

Over 200 school aged children are lost to suicide every year in the UK; an average of four young suicides per week. Each time a child or young person dies by suicide, many others are deeply affected by this loss within families, friendships, education and youth settings.

Those who work with young people in Schools, Colleges and Youth Work settings are in a unique position to recognise the signs that a young person might be experiencing thoughts of suicide and to respond effectively.

Despite this, we know that many people working in these settings do not feel equipped to support young people who may be thinking about suicide.

PAPYRUS has developed a guide to suicide prevention, intervention and postvention in schools and colleges, aimed specifically at school or college staff. https://www.papyrus-uk.org/save-the-class/

Our guide uses a ‘community-model’ – supporting the belief that suicide  is everyone’s business and that the community must be equipped and supported to prevent young suicide – as well as urging children and young people to speak up or ask for help. This underpins our work at PAPYRUS.

PAPYRUS is working in partnership with Worcestershire County Council Children First and Young Solutions to deliver a series of fully funded suicide prevention education and training programmes until March 2022.

We hope to deliver this training for up to 9 key staff members who work in each middle, secondary, alternative provisions and Further Education colleges in Worcestershire, as well as Youth Workers who are working with young people at community grass roots levels.

This funding is only available until March 2022 and will enable Youth Workers across Worcestershire who work in youth work settings and Y7+ schools and FE colleges at all levels to access fully funded Suicide Prevention training.

PAPYRUS have secured 90 places for Youth Workers to complete an Introduction to Suicide Prevention skills:

SP-EAK (Suicide Prevention – Explore, Ask, Keep-Safe) 3.5 hours Online

By attending SP-EAK you will be better equipped in the following:

To consider the attitudes, myths and stigma that surround suicide.

To recognise and explore the ‘signs’ that may indicate someone is having thoughts of suicide.

To encourage an open, safe and sensitive conversation about suicide with a person having thoughts of suicide.

To support a safety plan with someone thinking of suicide.

Youth Workers who are working in Y7+ schools and FE colleges at all levels can also access funded Suicide Prevention training as follows:

SP-OT (Suicide Prevention – Overview Tutorial) This is what we think EVERYONE needs to know. 1.5 hours Online

This is for those who are an integral part of the School or College community, and can therefore be expected to notice and be compassionate towards students who are struggling with thoughts of suicide.

By attending SP-OT you will be better equipped in the following:

To understand the prevalence and impact of suicide.                           

To explore the language, and the challenges, when talking openly about suicide.                                                                                                   

To recognise the ‘signs’ that may indicate someone is having thoughts of suicide.                                                                                              

To consider how we can all contribute to a suicide safer community.

By attending these courses, you will feel better equipped to support young people who may be struggling with thoughts of suicide, and will be contributing to creating Suicide Safer Communities for young people across Worcestershire, and most importantly preventing suicide and saving young lives.

Please sign up to one these free courses asap to secure a place, see the posters SP-EAK and SP-OT for all course dates, times and electronic booking links.

If you have any queries please don’t hesitate to contact the PAPYRUS West Midlands Office: westmidlands@papyrus-uk.org