As Suicide Prevention & Awareness Month and World Suicide Prevention Day encourage us to "Change the Narrative on Suicide", we're proud to support the Zero Suicide Alliance (ZSA) in helping more people start potentially life-changing conversations through accessible suicide awareness and prevention training.
World Suicide Prevention Day provides an opportunity to highlight the importance of suicide awareness and prevention, and the role we can all play in supporting those around us.
This year's theme,"Changing the Narrative on Suicide", encourages us to challenge stigma, promote understanding and start conversations. That message aligns closely with the work of the ZSA, whose training gives people the confidence to recognise signs of distress, ask important questions, listen without judgement and support someone to access help.
Through charitable funding, supporter donations and funding from NHS Charities Together, we have been able to work alongside the ZSA to develop, redevelop and launch new training programmes that equip people with the confidence and skills to support others during times of crisis.
The reach of this work is significant. Across its training portfolio, the ZSA's free online training courses have now been completed more than 3 million times, helping people across the UK and beyond gain the confidence to start conversations about suicide and support those in need.
Investing in training that supports suicide prevention
One of the most significant milestones in our partnership has been the funding of the redevelopment of the ZSA's flagship Suicide Awareness Training. The refreshed training was shaped by stakeholder feedback and includes updated facts and statistics, improved functionality and newly scripted scenarios designed to help users build confidence in having potentially life-saving conversations.
This redevelopment formed part of a wider programme of investment made possible through NHS Charities Together, with a commitment to creating engaging and accessible training resources that empower people to support others who may be experiencing suicidal thoughts.
Supporting a stranger: Giving people the confidence to act
Most recently, we supported the launch of the ZSA's innovative Supporting a Stranger Suicide Awareness Training. Based on a real-life scenario, the course provides practical guidance for people who encounter someone showing signs of distress in a public place.
Many people hesitate to intervene because they worry about saying the wrong thing. This training aims to overcome that fear by offering accessible advice, realistic examples and guidance around personal safety and self-care. It shows how a simple act of compassion and human connection can become a potentially life-changing intervention.
Building on the success of our main training redevelopment, we supported the launch of the ZSA's new Social Isolation and Loneliness Trainingduring Mental Health Awareness Week. The training replaced an earlier version developed during the COVID-19 pandemic and focuses on helping people understand the impact that isolation and loneliness can have on wellbeing.
By helping people recognise the signs of loneliness and social isolation and understand the importance of connection and community, the training encourages earlier support and intervention.
Healthcare professionals face unique pressures and challenges, yet many struggle in silence. Recognising this need, funding from Mersey Cares and NHS Charities Together enabled the development and launch of the Healthcare Staff and Suicide Awareness Training, the third major training package developed through the NHS Charities Together programme of support.
The free online training helps participants recognise suicide risk within the healthcare workforce, understand warning signs, approach difficult conversations with confidence and signpost colleagues to appropriate support.
Thousands of people worldwide complete ZSA training every year - helping to increase awareness, improve confidence and encourage open conversations about suicide.
Through charitable funding and the generosity of incredible supporters, we have been able to help the ZSA do more to support people around suicide awareness and prevention and start potentially life-saving conversations.
Together, we are helping to:
Develop and deliver new suicide awareness and prevention training opportunities.
Equip people with practical skills and confidence to support others.
Encourage people to start conversations when they are worried about someone.
Challenge stigma and promote greater understanding around suicide.
Support research and the development of accessible suicide prevention resources.
Support our shared ambition of reducing suicide and improving access to support for those who need it.
Looking ahead
Our partnership continues to grow, creating new opportunities to reach more people, support more communities and develop innovative approaches to suicide prevention.
Every donation, fundraiser and supporter contribution helps make this possible. Together, we are not only funding training programmes, we're building confidence, creating connections, starting important conversations and giving people the tools they need to support others when it matters most.
Supporting our work
As the message of this year's awareness campaign reminds us, changing the narrative on suicide starts with a conversation. Whether it's checking in with a friend, reaching out to a colleague or taking a few minutes to complete a free training course, we can all play a part in supporting one another.
