Grassroots training courses teaches the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to support those at risk of suicide.
Lancashire and South Cumbria Suicide Prevention Training Consortium
The Lancashire and South Cumbria Suicide Prevention Training Consortium is commissioned to provide a range of training, interventions and campaigns to help professionals and community members across Lancashire and South Cumbria grow in confidence and skills around talking about suicide and helping to prevent it. The training being provided aims to address the high suicide rates within our area, and to tackle the harmful stigma surrounding suicide.
Orange Button courses: some of the courses on this page enable learners to apply or receive an Orange Button to signify that they are happy to be a Connector for someone who is experiencing thoughts of suicide.
Levels of interventions
The offers are classed in three categories: advanced, intermediate and universal. This selection of interventions is delivered by a consortium lead by Lancashire Mind with a range of partners.
Universal interventions
These are an even broader range of interventions, which include both shorter training courses and non-training interventions. Generally, these will not be directly looking to increase suicide prevention skills for the participants but addressing related issues. Hence interventions in this category will address factors making suicide and mental ill health more likely. They also include more in depth support for people providing support to individuals expressing suicidal thoughts.
Intermediate training
These are a broader range of training interventions and probably more suitable for people with no grounding in mental health and suicide prevention. They also include a range of tailored interventions for people supporting individuals from particular risk groups (such as drug/alcohol or children and young people).
Advanced suicide prevention training
These are the most specifically targeted training interventions for participants very likely to encounter, or be required to support, people expressing suicidal thoughts. They will be more appropriate for professionals with some grounding in mental health awareness (although this is not essential).
Universal interventions
The Academy at Harmless is Harmless' specialist training department. The team delivers a range of CPD-accredited and bespoke training services around self harm, suicide awareness and prevention, and mental health. We deliver courses UK-wide, including externally accredited Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST).
A group course for the armed forces community run online via Microsoft Teams.
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Co-delivered by those with lived experience and experts.
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These sessions give you an opportunity to learn how to have an open conversation about suicide, including what language to use and sources of support available, alongside others in the armed forces community.
MindEd is a free elearning resource, funded by Health Education England, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education, aimed at equipping professionals and members of the public with evidence-based information about children, young people, adults, and older people’s mental health.
SPARK Suicide Prevention Awareness, Resource, Knowledge. An introduction to PAPYRUS and suicide prevention. Courses available online and face-to-face.
SPARK presentation | Suicide Prevention Training | Papyrus UK
A short, free, online course that can be taken by anyone who wants to learn basic suicide awareness and prevention skills.
Free online suicide awareness training from the Zero Suicide Alliance
Intermediate training
Virtual and face to face delivery options (face to face is delivered in two consecutive days, virtually this course can be delivered across four virtual sessions supported by self guided study from learners at home).
Overview
Adult Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an internationally recognised training course, designed to teach people how to spot the signs and symptoms of mental ill health and provide help on a first aid basis. In the same way as learning physical first aid, MHFA teaches people how to recognise those crucial warning signs of mental ill health and feel confident to guide someone to appropriate support. Embedding MHFA training within any organisation or community also encourages people to talk more freely about mental health, reducing stigma and creating a more positive culture.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the training participants will have:
- An in depth understanding of mental health and the factors that can affect wellbeing
- Practical skills to spot the triggers and signs of mental health issues
- Confidence to step in, reassure and support a person in distress
- Enhanced interpersonal skills such as non-judgemental listening
- Knowledge to help someone recover their health by guiding them to further support - whether that’s self-help resources, through their employer, the NHS, or a mix.
Course content
- Group activities
- Presentations and discussions
- A manual to refer to whenever you need it
- A workbook including a helpful toolkit to support your own mental health.
Intermediate mental health first aid course with Blackburn with Darwen Adult Learning: All Courses - Blackburn with Darwen Adult Learning
Delivery method – face to face delivery only.
Overview
safeTALK is a half-day alertness training that prepares anyone 15 or older, regardless of prior experience or training, to become a suicide-alert helper. Most people with thoughts of suicide don’t truly want to die but are struggling with the pain in their lives. Through their words and actions, they invite help to stay alive. safeTALK-trained helpers can recognise these invitations and take action by connecting them with life-saving intervention resources, such as caregivers trained in ASIST.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the training participants will be able to:
- Notice and respond to situations where suicide thoughts might be present
- Recognize that invitations for help are often overlooked
- Move beyond the common tendency to miss, dismiss, and avoid suicide
- Apply the TALK steps: Tell, Ask, Listen, and KeepSafe
- Know community resources and how to connect someone with thoughts of suicide to them for further help.
Course Content
- Presentations and guidance from a LivingWorks registered trainer
- Access to support from a local community resource person
- Powerful audio-visual learning aids
- The simple yet effective TALK steps: Tell, Ask, Listen, and KeepSafe
- Hands-on skills practice and development.
Every Life Matters strives to take a fresh, innovative and long term approach to suicide prevention and suicide bereavement support in Cumbria - a county that has had suicide rates well above the national average for too many years. At the heart of our approach to suicide prevention is the belief that all members of our local community can have a part to play in suicide prevention. Our training aims to reduce the stigma attached to suicide, increase understanding of when someone is at risk of suicide, raise awareness of how to practically support someone, and the range of services and resources available for people in our communities experiencing suicidal thoughts.
Delivery method – virtual or face to face delivery options.
Overview
Suicide First Aid Lite is a half day workshop is a City & Guilds registered workshop which provides learners with the confidence and tools to understand the impact of suicide and, using a first aid approach, take someone who is experiencing thoughts of suicide from a place of danger and isolation to a place of safety and support. Suicide First Aiders use a three step approach to identify the signs that someone may be experiencing thoughts of suicide, recognise the needs of that person, ask about suicide clearly and directly and use safety planning to empower the individual to find appropriate support.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the training participants will be able to:
- Understand the impact of suicide locally and nationally
- Understand suicide approach
- Recognise the needs of someone who is experiencing thoughts of suicide
- Identify the signs that someone may be experiencing thoughts of suicide
- Use a three step approach to supporting somebody from a place of isolation to a place of safety and support
- Understand safety planning and recognising the importance of partnership working.
- Begin to consider self care when undertaking suicide prevention.
Course Content
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Presentations and guidance from a trainer registered with the National Centre for Suicide Prevention
- Access to support from a local community resource person
- Powerful audio-visual learning aids
- Learner workbook to support and record learning (either virtual or physical dependent on delivery)
- Hands-on skills practice and development.
A half day course provided by Lancashire Mind. Youth Mental Health First Aid courses are for everyone who works with, lives with or supports young people aged 8-18. They will teach you the skills and confidence to spot the signs of mental health issues in a young person, offer first aid and guide them towards the support they need. In doing so, you can speed up a young person’s recovery and stop a mental health issue from getting worse. The courses teaches how to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis - and even potentially stop a crisis from happening.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the training participants will have:
- An in depth understanding of mental health and the factors that can affect young people’s wellbeing
- Practical skills to spot the triggers and signs of mental health issues
- Confidence to step in, reassure and support a young person in distress
- Enhanced interpersonal skills such as non-judgemental listening
- Knowledge to help a young person recover their health by guiding them to further support - whether that’s self-help resources, through their employer, the NHS, or a mix.
Advanced training
In this course which consists of two days training, ASIST participants learn to:
- Understand the ways personal and societal attitudes affect views on suicide and interventions
- Provide guidance and suicide first-aid to a person at risk in ways that meet their individual safety needs
- Identify the key elements of an effective suicide safety plan and the actions required to implement it
- Appreciate the value of improving and integrating suicide prevention resources in the community at large
- Recognize other important aspects of suicide prevention including life-promotion and self-care
The Suicide First Aid Lite virtual half day suicide prevention course is designed to provide learners with the essential knowledge and skills needed to save lives.
Commissioned by your local authority
In addition to the above consortium of interventions – there are many excellent projects offered by your local authority. If you would like to learn more about any of the below opportunities please follow the links or contact your local authority.
Useful links:
Positive Action in the Community (PAC)
Currently offered across Lancashire (excluding Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen)
- ASIST - two days training (Orange Button).
- Youth Mental Health First Aid - two days training.
- Safe Talks - half day training (Orange Button).