Jacob Abraham Foundation

Our work in suicide prevention

We offer free suicide first aid training delivered by Nick Barnes of Safer Suicide London, who is also the Managing Director of ‘Train on the Tracks,’ specialising in health, housing, and social care training. Commissioned by our organisation, Nick provides training for approximately 15-20 people every 8 weeks. His expertise and credibility in the field have consistently delivered excellent outcomes, and our trustees regularly review this collaboration.

Our website and event attendance aim to signpost individuals to organisations addressing life stressors that may lead to suicidal thoughts or behaviours. These include charities offering support in areas such as gambling, debt, substance misuse, relationships, bereavement, bullying, and sexuality. We collaborate with local charities to enhance access to resources and provide holistic support.

In collaboration with Valley and Vale Community Arts, we are developing a poster campaign encouraging young people at risk of suicide to speak up. This project, funded by the South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner’s Victim Fund, involves consulting young people to ensure the messaging resonates with their experiences.

We also provide a 40-minute youth suicide prevention workshop, delivered in after-school clubs, colleges, and youth settings. Additionally, we offer an 8-week well-being and mindfulness programme facilitated by practitioners such as Sarah Aitken, a qualified mindfulness and youth mindfulness teacher, supporting 8-10 vulnerable individuals annually.

Recognising the lack of support for those bereaved by suicide, we aim to establish a monthly support group facilitated by qualified practitioners. These sessions will offer postvention skills, including self-care and practical mourning strategies. To further support bereaved families, we plan to provide personalised comfort packs containing thoughtful items like blankets, picture frames, vouchers, and the “Help is at Hand” booklet. We intend to work closely with South Wales Police to identify and support families affected by sudden deaths..

Our current priorities

We are developing an innovative project called ‘Suicide Stings’ in collaboration with Newlink Wales Wellbeing Service, funded by Comic Relief. The project aims to engage and support young men by partnering with tattooists for those over 18 and using beekeeping for those aged 11-18.

Tattooists often interact with young men struggling with mental health, making them uniquely positioned to help. By training 25 tattooists in suicide prevention, with an average of three clients a day, they could reach 19,500 individuals annually. Even if only 1% of these interactions prevent suicide, the potential savings to services could reach £331.5 million a year. Jacob Abraham, for whom the Foundation is named, had a tattoo shortly before his death, and his best friend had memorial tattoos before taking his own life. These were missed opportunities for intervention, highlighting the importance of this approach.

Tattooists will receive suicide brief intervention training and support from the Foundation, equipping them to open conversations and signpost young men to further help.

Additionally, school workshops will build resilience and train young people to support peers. Participants can become ‘Suicide Stings Champions’ through a beekeeping experience day. Beekeeping teaches essential skills like emotional regulation, communication, mindfulness, and empathy, aligning with therapeutic practices to support mental health.

Our current challenges

Our biggest challenge is lack of income / funding in order to provide the resources needed to sustain the foundation and provide a good service.