WHY should I attend?
In the UK, a person dies by suicide every 90 minutes. Three quarters of these are men, and suicide is the most common cause of death of people under 35.
It's clear that we ALL need to learn talk about suicide (confidently and compassionately, without fear or judgement) with our co-workers, clients, friends and family, because talking is the best form of prevention we have.
Anyone can learn these life-saving conversational skills - they don't 'belong' to the professionals!
But common fears can get in the way - fears such as:
- What if I make things worse?
- What if I say the wrong thing?
- What if I put the idea in their head?
Talking about Suicide: 10 Tools (TAS10) is a powerful 90-minute session which blasts away these fears and the stigma still surrounding suicide and equips you with the tools and confidence to talk about suicide with someone you're worried about.
WHAT will I learn?
You'll learn ten practical tools and the confidence to spot the signs and have a caring conversation that could save a life.
We cover questions like:
- What is 'healthy' vs 'unhealthy' language around suicide?
- How, why and when should I ask someone if they are thinking about suicide?
- How do I listen without trying to fix their problems - and why is this important?
- How do I get consent to get help from other people and services?
Will I have to TALK?
TAS10 is delivered live on Zoom, safely and sensitively. There is zero pressure to talk or share your experience; many people remain on mute the whole time, and many attend our training simply to observe and learn.
To ensure the safety and comfort of our participants, we provide emotional and technical support, and ask that everyone keeps cameras on if possible.
If you would like to attend but have questions or barriers, just email rose@starttheconversation.uk with your phone number to request a pre-training call.
WHO should attend this training?
TAS10 is for anyone: no prior training is needed. Nearly 4,000 people have received this training so far, including teachers, medical students, helpline volunteers and police, who have said things like:
- "I've participated in countless training courses in my career and I can't recall one that made such an impact. The session is an eye-opener, well-paced and full of incredibly useful content."
- "Really sensitively delivered with simple, easy to follow content."
- “Straight away the trainer established a feeling of connection with the group – difficult to do in a virtual environment.”
- "I’ve learnt it’s OK not to say the exact right thing. Genuine connection is what’s needed.”
We are especially keen to welcome anyone who works with the public, including:
- Bartenders, waiters, tattoo artists and hotel staff
- Taxi drivers and bus drivers
- Barbers and hairdressers
- Foodbank volunteers or any other community staff
- Doctors, nurses and emergency services workers
- Counsellors, therapists, yoga teachers
Please note: spaces on our open sessions are limited. Please cancel your booking if you won't be able to attend for any reason, so someone else can take your place.
BOOK a session for your team
We ask please that no more than three people from each organisation attend our open sessions. If more than three people at your organisation would like this training, please book a 'closed' (and tailored) session by emailing rose@starttheconversation.uk.
TAS10 was created by Rose Rowkins of Start the Conversation and Ann Feloy, CEO of Olly's Future
