Our levels of awareness and education
Research tells us that lower levels of education and awareness around suicide are associated with higher levels of suicide-related stigma.
What we know
People with lived and living experience of suicide and suicide-related stigma tell us that:
Providing suicide prevention awareness and educational training programmes within workplaces may help tackle suicide-related stigma. These can be incorporated into onboarding, competency training and away days. This would make staff more aware of suicide-related stigma and potentially reduce the likelihood of them contributing to it. Training would support managers and employees to be compassionate, understanding and non-judgemental when discussing suicide within the workplace
Healthcare professionals should be mindful of how stigma may act as a barrier to disclosure. Training healthcare professionals about suicide-related stigma will increase their awareness of its consequences and ensure that they are aware of how it can lead to silence, secrecy and a mistrust of healthcare professionals
Lobbying for increased funding from governments and stakeholders could allow for widespread suicide-related stigma education within workplaces. Fostering partnerships between mental health charities and workplaces, engaging with policy makers and key government departments, and gathering evidence through research could help bring about change
Resources you may find helpful include:
PAPYRUS’s guide to suicide prevention, intervention and postvention in schools and colleges. This guide is specifically for teachers and the wider school or college staff. It aims to equip teachers with the skills and knowledge necessary to support students who may be having suicidal thoughts
Suicide and the workplace – Intervention, prevention and support for people affected by suicide (BSI Standards Publication) is a guide that supports people to have confident, consistent and compassionate conversations about suicide in workplace settings. It also provides guidance to strengthen workplace policies and culture around suicide awareness