A poll found that only 45% of people feel comfortable talking to family and friends about suicidal thoughts, compared to 74% who feel comfortable discussing mental health in general (Samaritans, 2024).

This gap highlights why World Suicide Prevention Day is such an important opportunity. It’s a time for us all to encourage open and honest conversations about suicide to remind people that support is always available. Simply asking someone about suicide can help them feel less isolated, more supported, and even save a life.

Every person's experience with suicidal thoughts or behaviours is unique, and while speaking openly about suicide is crucial, it's not always easy to know how to start the conversation. That's why training is essential, as it gives you the confidence and skills to reach out and help someone in need.

At Mental Health Matters, we're proud to offer a range of training options:

• Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)

A two-day interactive workshop in suicide first-aid designed for anyone who wants to make a difference, including learning to recognise when someone may be at risk of suicide and how to work with them to create a plan to ensure their immediate safety.

• safeTALK: Suicide Alertness for Everyone

A half-day course that teaches you how to spot and respond to invitations for help from those struggling with suicidal thoughts.

Most people with thoughts of suicide don’t want to die, instead, they are looking for a way to work through the pain in their lives. Through their words and actions, they usually invite others to help them make a choice for life. SafeTALK teaches you to recognise these invitations, engage with the person with thoughts of suicide, and connect them with resources to help them be safer from suicide.

Additionally, there is also useful training available from the Zero Suicide Alliance (ZSA), including:

• Gateway Training (5-10 minutes): A short, impactful introduction to suicide awareness and approaches.
• Suicide Awareness Training (20 minutes): A deeper dive into recognising warning signs, breaking stigma, and having supportive conversations.

Our Learning team at MHM can also provide tailored training to meet the specific needs of your organisation.

View our popular training packages