Organisations that go that extra mile to prevent suicide should be recognised

Suicide Prevention is core to everything we do at Forward For Life and its an area that we feel should be highest priority across our communities and the health and social care sector at all levels. At Forward For Life we also feel that when an organisation has gone that extra mile to help communities become Suicide Safer, such an organisation should be recognised for its hard work and dedication to reducing suicidal behaviours. 

On the 18th December 2013, the Chief Executive of Trident Reach the People Charity was presented with the very first SOS Suicide Safer Community Award by Forward For Life and our suicide prevention partner organisation, Common Unity Social Enterprise.

The award was given in recognition of the fact that Trident Reach has actively embraced the suicide prevention agenda at an operational level and strategic level both within their own organisation through staff engagement with safeTALK and ASIST courses and through being an active member of the Birmingham SOS Strategic Think Tank which is currently developing a suicide prevention strategy to be tabled in Birmingham next year.

safeTALK training is a half-day course covering practical steps to help someone who is thinking of taking their own life and signpost that person to more specialist support. 

The  ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) course is a two-day skills-building workshop that prepares care professionals and volunteers so they can help people having suicidal thoughts.

Forward for Life and Common Unity Social Enterprise realise that through a combination of safeTALK trained and ASIST trained individuals within organisations and across communities, Suicide Safer Communities can become a reality – people from all walks of life will have the skills that ensure they are ready, willing and able to support a person who may be at risk of suicide.

Originally published 2015: Author T Rigby