29th January

Sexual Abuse Service Development Fund

Funding is now available for organisations wishing to apply to help forward existing services, or to develop more innovative approaches in helping the prevention and counselling of childhood sexual abuse.

The closing date for applications is 30 March 2007.

Choose Life Project Pick Up Two Butler Trust Awards

Two initiatives funded by Choose Life have received Butler Trust Awards this month! The Barlinnie Life Coaching initiative received the prestigious Lord Woolf Award for resettlement work in conjunction with outside agencies 2007 and Theatre Nemo received the Group Award for a team of three or more people working together.

IASP 24th World Congress 2007: Call for Papers

The Irish Association of Suicidology is hosting the 24th World Congress of the International Association of Suicide Prevention (IASP), entitled “Preventing Suicide Across The Lifespan: Dreams and Realities”. This conference will be an excellent opportunity to learn, network and share knowledge.

Those working in the field of suicide prevention in Scotland are encouraged to submit an abstract in order to share the excellent knowledge and practice that is being developed in Scotland.

22nd January

SHPS Emotional Literacy Seminar

In response to feedback from school staff, the Scottish Health Promoting Schools Unit (SHPSU) has arranged this seminar to provide some time and space to explore the importance of promoting emotional literacy and resilience among school staff.

19th January

Training Team Vacancies

To date nearly 8,000 people have been trained in suicide prevention skills throughout Scotland. We are now looking for three highly motivated individuals to join a new training team.

Choose Life Hosts Second SafeTALK Demo

In response to the high-level of interest to the SuicideTALK and SafeTALK demonstrations held in Glasgow this month, a second SafeTALK demonstration is planned for March.

18th January

STORM Training Conference

Choose Life Highland is hosting the first ever Skills-based Training On Risk Management (STORM) conference on Friday 27 April 2007 where you will be able to find out how STORM Training can help front-line staff working with people who are vulnerable to suicide.

11th January

Suicide & Homicidal Deaths Summary

A recent summary report of the National Confidential Inquiry's (NCI) findings into suicide and homicide by people with mental illness was published in December 2006.

This report sets out a number of recommendations for the prevention of suicide by those in contact with Mental Health Services.

9th January

XXIV_World_Congress_-_IASP2007

The XXIV World Congress of the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) will take place from 28th August to 1st September 2007, hosted by the Irish Association of Suicidology, in the Irish National Events Centre, Killarney, Co. Kerry, Ireland.

Click on the above heading for more information and the call for papers leaflet.

Breathing Space Day

Breathing Space, the telephone helpline and website for people experiencing low mood and depression, is planning the first ever Breathing Space Day on 1 February 2007, encouraging people to talk about and take Breathing Space out of busy, hectic lives to help take care of their mental health and well-being.

MHDisseminationInvitation2006_final

NHS Health Scotland, on behalf of the Scottish Executive, is working to establish a national set of valid, useable and sustainable mental health indicators for Scotland.

As the work enters the final stages, five dissemination events are planned across Scotland to update people and to discuss how the indicators can be used nationally and locally. The final set of indicators will be available summer 2007.

Venues and dates are listed in the link above. To book a place, please email your first and second preferences to jean.boyce@health.scot.nhs.uk, or contact 0141 300 1017

Also read the full Briefing_MH_Indicators_Dec_2006 to find out more.

SX0126_Survivors_Scotland

This conference will review the progress of the Scottish Executive’s national strategy for survivors of childhood sexual abuse and will provide an opportunity to build on the power of partnership working and provide information sharing across professions.

It is an excellent opportunity for delegates to get involved and contribute to its further development, as well as to form strong networks in order to make a real and lasting difference to survivors throughout Scotland.

Attendance is FREE but places limited and will be allocated on a first come first servced basis. For more information please click on the link above or email survivorscotland@conventionmanagement.co.uk

8th January

ASDHD_-_evaluation_of_ASIST_-_Invitation_to_express_interest

The Scottish Executive would like to invite expressions of interest in tendering for an evaluation of ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) in Scotland. The study will commence in February 2007 and run until January 2008. Attached is the invitation to express interest, including an expression of interest form.

Completed expression of interest forms must be returned to Angela Hallam (angela.hallam@scotland.gsi.gov.uk) by 12 noon on Friday 12 January 2007.