STOP Suicide
STOP Suicide is an award-winning suicide prevention campaign that seeks to empower communities and individuals across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough to help stop suicides by being alert to the warning signs, asking directly about suicide and helping those who are feeling suicidal to stay safe. We work collaboratively across our region as the recognised public campaigning voice of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s zero suicide ambition.
How does your organisation contribute to preventing suicide and supporting those affected by it?
We use a variety of approaches to promote our STOP Suicide messages across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough to challenge stigma, raise awareness and equip our community with the knowledge and skills to keep themselves and others safe. This includes targeted digital campaigning, public engagement events, local media, printed resources and other tactics to reach identified demographics at risk, as well as our community as a whole.
Our campaigning is supported by STOP Suicide Campaign Makers, who volunteer their time, and individuals and organisations who have signed our STOP Suicide pledge. Importantly, we train members of our community in suicide prevention skills through STOP Suicide Workshops and ASIST. We also offer Suicide Mitigation Training to GPs and Primary Care staff. This ensures we’re creating a suicide-safer community.
What are your current priorities?
Public Awareness Campaigning
• Maintain community campaigning including targeted ‘mini-campaigns’ for identified demographics.
Suicide Prevention Skills Training
• Continued delivery of suicide prevention training to members of our community.
Suicide Bereavement Support
• One of our collaborative partners, Lifecraft, are looking to expand their Suicide Bereavement Support Service in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, to increase the number of support groups and implement a grief education programme, alongside home visits for those bereaved by suicide.
What challenges are you currently facing?
– Continuing to shift public perception on a stigmatised topic to empower our whole community with knowledge and skills to make a difference.
Building a statistical evidence base to inform targeted campaigning and ensure we are reaching our diverse communities equitably with tailored messaging.
Supporting our local media to report on suicide in a responsible and appropriate manner.