SafeTALK Pilot a Success

More Scots than ever will be equipped with the skills to help save lives as safeTALK, a dynamic new suicide prevention course which is accessible to all, is introduced to Scotland.

Following an evaluation of a highly successful 6 month pilot, safeTALK, a new LivingWorks training programme in suicide intervention skills, will be rolled out. safeTALK is a half-day workshop which teaches people to recognise and engage people who might be having thoughts of suicide and to link them to appropriate help and support.

The pilot took place in Argyll and Bute, Western Isles and Dumfries and Galloway, as well as in partnership with national and local agencies, the Scottish Association for Mental Health, COPE (a voluntary mental health agency based in Drumchapel) and the Ministry of Defence. 239 people were trained over the course of the six-month pilot.

A consistent finding that emerged from the pilot evaluation was participants' high level of satisfaction with the course. Eighty per cent of those interviewed felt they were more likely to recognise the signs of someone being at risk of suicide, to approach the person, to ask them directly whether they were having suicidal thoughts and to be able to connect them to appropriate help.

Martin Gallagher, a Support Worker for the Scottish Association for Mental Health is one of the first people in Scotland to do a SafeTALK workshop. Commenting on what he got out of the workshop, he said:

"Whilst it was challenging, it gave me a clear set of steps that now allow me to confidently act on direct and indirect requests for help from people who have thoughts of suicide and ensure they receive the help they want."

safeTALK is just one of the training initiatives which will enable the Scottish Government to achieve its goal of delivering suicide prevention training to 50% of all key front line staff in mental health services, primary care and accident and emergency units by 2010.