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Washington Mind
In partnership Washington Mind have developed #Reasons2, a wellbeing app that acts as both a wellness plan and a gratitude journal. The app can be used to create a safety plan including pictures, words etc of things that are important to us with the aim of highlighting the things/people/places that we have in our life at times when we are struggling to see this.
How does your organisation contribute to preventing suicide and supporting those affected by it?
Washington Mind has in partnership with our service users and our community developed A LIFE Worth Living…a community approach to suicide prevention. The half-day training session has been accessed by over 3 thousand people. The training challenges attitudes towards suicide and suicide prevention and through this equips a community with the confidence, knowledge and skills to support someone experiencing suicidal thoughts. We too believe that suicide prevention is everybody’s business. We are active in campaigns across the city and have promotional materials to help us spread the word.
This support then reaches out across our community to our hard to reach / high risk groups and offers service information and a pathway of support for those in distress who are struggling. Knowledge and information surrounding resources and how resources can be removed safely within a window of opportunity provides a lifeline to those contemplating suicide. As a provider of services who has all staff trained in suicide prevention our skilled and experienced counsellors provide bereavement support and information with an increased knowledge of how the loss of a loved one to suicide has an effect upon the person.
As the chair of the Suicide Prevention Action Group we work closely with a number of partners across the region, including Public Health, drug and alcohol services, emergency services, LGBT+ as well as employers across the region coming together at events, campaigns and sharing knowledge and good practice.
What are your current priorities?
Access funding to continue the delivery of A LIFE Worth Living..a community approach to suicide prevention
Washington Mind will endeavour to continue to identify funders to support the delivery of this much needed training programme.
Increase awareness of ALWL through our campaigning and events
Washington mind will continue to have a high profile at events across the region including Sunderland International Air Show, PRIDE, as well as other campaigning opportunities.
Reasons to live. Continue to deliver our specialist support for those who have attempted to end their lives.
To deliver another programme of our reasons to live course to support those who have attempted to end their lives to identify coping strategies, develop safety plans and find hope.
What challenges are you currently facing?
We are committed to our suicide prevention agenda and activities. The main challenge to supporting the delivery of these outcomes would be sustainability of the training in times when more people are struggling and funding is scarce. There is still great interest in the training and funding for this is crucial.