Summary
Free training to bring the issue of suicide out of the dark and break the stigma that surrounds it.
Greater Manchester’s Month of Hope 2024 (10 September to 10 October) encourages everyone to have open conversations about preventing suicide.
The Month of Hope is part of the Shining a Light on Suicide campaign which has been running since 2019.
This year’s Month of Hope theme is ‘changing the narrative on suicide’ and includes a series of events aimed at raising awareness of the actions everyone can take to reduce suicide and inspire hope across the city-region.
Starting on World Suicide Prevention Day (Tuesday, 10 September) with an open online event featuring guest speakers, the Month of Hope will conclude on World Mental Health Day (Thursday, 10 October). A full list of events is available on the NHS GM website.
As well as a series of public events, there is free online training available via the Shining a Light on Suicide website, in partnership with Zero Suicide Alliance.
The training lasts 20 minutes and will give you the skills to help someone who is struggling with suicidal thoughts. It could support you to hold a life-changing conversation.
Judd Skelton, Chair of Greater Manchester Suicide Prevention Programme Board, said: “We lose over 200 people a year to suicide across Greater Manchester, but research shows that talking honestly and openly about suicide can help save lives.
“Research tells us that talking about suicide doesn’t put the idea in someone’s mind but can lead to a person feeling supported, reducing their risk of taking their life. Just being there to listen and showing you care can help, but people often feel they lack the skills, knowledge, or confidence to talk about suicide.
“That’s why the Shining a Light on Suicide campaign, alongside charity Zero Suicide Alliance, is encouraging everyone to set aside just 20 minutes to take its free online training that will help you spot the signs that someone may be thinking of suicide and increase your confidence to talk to them about it.”
NHS GM will also publish a new Shining a Light on Suicide strategy on 3 October as the campaign marks five years since its launch.
If you are supporting someone with suicidal thoughts, it could help to make a safety plan. The following websites have guidance and templates you can download:
