Suicide First Aid Lite

Description

Course Overview

Teaching the theory and practice of suicide intervention skills that can be applied in any professional or personal setting, this programme is delivered over 3.5 hours as a suicide prevention awareness session. We use only the most experienced suicide prevention trainers to deliver this unique learning experience: for anyone who seeks greater understanding and confidence to intervene with people at risk of suicide. 

The Suicide First Aid Lite course gives learners the knowledge and tools to understand that suicide is one of the most preventable deaths and some basic skills can help someone with thoughts of suicide stay safe from their thoughts and stay alive. 

Course Content

SFA Lite is comprised of 2 parts, each 90 minutes duration. The programme teaches the skills needed to identify someone who may be thinking about suicide and to pass the person onto a suicide first aider. 

Part 1:

• Introduction to the session; programme, ourselves and suicide prevention 
• Stigma and survivors of bereavement by suicide and the Hidden Toll 
• Suicide thoughts and suicide behaviour 
• Intention of behaviour versus outcome of behaviour 
• Possible causes of suicide thoughts 
• Suicide – the ripple effect 

Part 2:

• ‘I’m really glad you told me’ audio visual 
• Suicide Safety Guidance 
• Recognising and asking about suicide 
• Referring a person onto suicide first aiders 

Suicide First Aid Lite training offers learning outcomes that are knowledge based and factual. This training can be used as a stand-alone programme or as the first part of a journey to learn suicide prevention skills. 

The one-day programme Suicide First Aid through Understanding Suicide Interventions is a City & Guilds qualification programme and the next step for people wanting a more in-depth practise-based approach to the learning. The information is easy to grasp for people of all skill levels and those with no prior knowledge of the subject. It is designed to meet the needs of virtual groups and could be used as a forerunner to the one-day Suicide First Aid Programme. 

Evidence Base

Two independent evaluations in 2016 and 2017 by Dr Paul Rogers demonstrated significant statistical change in 14 of 19 measures. Increased confidence and reduced anxiety in dealing with suicide, were among the leading outcomes. 

Format

Taught over 3.5 hours using tutor facilitated socratic learning, tutor-led practise sessions, mini lectures, group work and audio-visual presentations. This is a has some interactive elements and is an emotionally engaging learning experience. 

Pre-training requirement

No previous experience or training is necessary. Participants will be asked to self- reflect and empathise with a person having thoughts of suicide. There is no expectation on participants to share personal experiences. 

Who should attend? 

Multi-sector managers and practitioners including health, housing, social care, education, criminal justice, call centre operators, private, voluntary and public sector workers and community groups or members.