MC Magazine - winter 2023/24

ZERO SUICIDE FEATURE

LOOKING BACK TO THE FUTURE Feedback on ZSA training: •

93 per cent rate the course as excellent or good

•

93 per cent would recommend the training to others

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95 per cent feel more confident they could identify the signs that someone is struggling

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92 per cent feel more able to talk to someone struggling with suicidal thoughts.

“The scenario helped me see the training in a day to day situation.”

Since its formation the Zero Suicide Alliance (ZSA) has been at the forefront of suicide prevention research, awareness and training. Now, thanks to a vital injection of charity funding, it’s looking to the future.

It’s been an exciting six years,” says ZSA co founder Professor Joe Rafferty CBE. “When we launched in 2017 we didn’t envisage that our free online training would be accessed an incredible 2.5 million times. This means that right across the country a statistically significant number of people are now better equipped to help save a life. They’re more aware.

Because they’ve taken our training they’ll know the signs to look out for, how to talk to someone who may be struggling and how to signpost them to the help and support that they may need.”

ZSA says that they’re committed to helping people to speak about suicide and, perhaps more importantly, to encourage and support those potentially life saving conversations.

And their track record is impressive. Not only have they produced a Welsh language version of their award winning training but they’ve worked with others to introduce a range of courses aimed at reaching those who may be at most risk of suicide – the so called ‘at risk’ groups. On their website you’ll find training specifically created to help identified groups such as university students, taxi drivers and military veterans.

TAKE THE TRAINING zerosuicidealliance.com

Now the importance of their work and the role they play has been recognised futher; the Alliance has secured a raft of essential funding from NHS Charities Together and Mersey Cares, the Mersey Care NHS Charity.

“This funding will breathe new life into the delivery of our free training,” says ZSA Project Manager, Alex Close. “With every new training programme we launch, we learn something valuable. We’re committed to using this knowledge, along with user feedback, to enhance our original training.

Our aim is to continue to improve the user experience and ensure the content is accessible to all. We’re thrilled to receive this funding and to begin this work.”

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