Important information
If you have been affected by a suicide recently, if a suicide is still distressing or you are struggling with thoughts of suicide or self-harm please do not complete suicide prevention training at this time and seek support. More information is available here.
Suicide prevention training can trigger difficult feelings, memories and reactions even if you don’t think it will. It’s important therefore to think about how this training may affect you and prepare yourself beforehand.
Frequently asked questions
Who can attend the training?
The training is free to attend and is open to staff and volunteers working in Ayrshire & Arran from the following sectors:
- NHS Ayrshire & Arran
- Health & Social Care Partnerships
- Local Authorities
- Third Sector Agencies
Some examples are:
- Emergency responders and community pharmacy
- Frontline supporters, including the following sectors: debt/money advice, housing, homelessness, care-experienced, violence against women and girls, community justice, addictions services, transport, hospitality and retail, leisure, fitness and sport
- Education, including higher and further education, counsellors, youth work.
- Voluntary organisations and charities.
Can I attend all levels/courses?
The training we provide sits within the informed level (level 1) and skilled level (level 2). The levels of training have been developed to support you in choosing the training most suitable for you and your job role.
Please have a look at our training flowchart and course descriptors to help you choose. You can also visit the NHS Education Scotland (NES) knowledge & skills framework for more information. Please note the LivingWorks training does not fall under the NES KSF levels however we have suggested where the courses would sit based on the skill level of the content. Most services tend to have individuals trained in different levels to give a well-rounded knowledge base. If you are unsure of what level would suit for your role, please speak to your line manager.
Are refresher courses available?
Unfortunately there are no refresher courses and there is no rule or guidance on this. We wouldn’t recommend annual training unless you feel there is a need for this or to progress to the next level of training. We would suggest leaving approx. 3 years before attending again to refresh your skills if you feel it is necessary.
Is bespoke training available?
The Suicide Prevention Training Calendar has been created to provide suicide awareness and prevention training with a multi-agency approach across Ayrshire and Arran. The calendar has a range of courses throughout the year, and we continue to monitor the demand for training and additional courses may be added if appropriate. We encourage those looking to access training to browse our brochure and book a space on the courses provided. We are not in the position to offer bespoke/ad-hoc training out with our calendar. If there are any issues with attending our calendar courses, please contact us at chooselife@aapct.scot.nhs.uk.
Training Flowchart
We recommend you choose the level of training most appropriate for you and your job role. It is not mandatory to attend all courses or progress through the levels. You can attend a level 1 course only or attend a level 2 course without attending level 1. Please be aware that courses from the same level have similar content/learning but have a different delivery format. The Living Works workshops are longer sessions and have more of a practical component whereas NES workshops are shorter sessions and more discussion based.
Introduction to Suicide Prevention
Previously known as “Ask Tell Save a Life”
Level 1 (Early Intervention)
The Introduction to Suicide Prevention training is based on the NHS Education Scotland (NES) Ask Tell Respond animation. It provides the essential basic knowledge and skills required by everyone, in any workplace, workforce or community who has the opportunity and ability to positively impact on their own and other’s mental health and wellbeing and contribute to supporting people experiencing mental ill health and preventing self-harm or suicide.
This workshop explores the issue of suicide in adults, children and young people with a snapshot of the current suicide statistics in Scotland. It helps learners understand the signs that people of all ages may be thinking about suicide and how and when to provide immediate help and support.
Please note this session is an introduction to suicide prevention and does not go into lengthy detail around carrying out a suicide intervention.
Skilled Suicide Prevention Training
Level 2 (Intervention)
The Skilled Suicide Prevention training is based on the skilled level NHS Education Scotland (NES) information, this includes:
- the factors that might cause people to think about suicide
- working with people to assess their risk of suicide
- conversations that enable people to talk about their thoughts of suicide
- when to seek emergency support and intervention for people at risk of suicide
- practical and emotional approaches to supporting people at risk of suicide
- additional information about children and young people who may be at risk of suicide
This workshop provides the knowledge and skills required by ‘non-specialist’ frontline staff working in health, social care, the wider public and other services, who are likely to have direct and/or substantial contact with people who may be at risk of mental ill health, self-harm or suicide. This means that they have an important contribution to make in mental health improvement and self-harm and suicide prevention.
safeTALK (Suicide Alertness for Everyone)
Level 1 (Early Intervention)
The LivingWorks Suicide Alertness for Everyone training equips people to be:
- more alert to someone thinking of suicide
- better able to connect them with further help.
The course is designed to help participants:
- recognise that a person might be having thoughts of suicide
- engage that person in direct and open talk about suicide
- move quickly to connect them with someone trained in suicide intervention
ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training)
Level 2 (Intervention)
The LivingWorks Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) teaches participants how to:
- preserve life where a person might be a danger to themselves
- listen and talk to a person with suicidal intention without judgement
- provide comfort to a person with suicidal intention
This is a two day in-person workshop with a focus on practical skills. You’ll learn how to:
- recognise when someone may be thinking about suicide
- provide a skilled intervention
- develop a safety plan with the person to connect them with further support
Wave after Wave
(Postvention)
Glasgow Association for Mental Health were commissioned by the Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership to develop the training and worked in close partnership with Pure Potential Scotland and Third Sector Lab to deliver this project. The materials have been co-designed by 71 members of staff and 18 individuals with lived experience and the voices of lived experience feature heavily throughout.
The aim is to ensure that all staff, supporters and volunteers coming into contact with those bereaved by suicide have an understanding of the complex nature and impact of a suicide bereavement and are able to provide a compassionate and empathetic response whilst being aware of the impact of their work on their own well-being.
The training is delivered face to face by suicide prevention trainers from across Ayrshire & Arran.
The learning outcomes for the session are as follows:
- Understanding grief and suicide bereavement
- Providing a compassionate response
- The impact of suicide bereavement work on staff
- Resources and support for suicide bereavement
This course discusses the subject of suicide in some depth. Please be mindful of this when either booking or nominating onto the course.