Voices of Hope Grassroots Suicide Prevention

A conversation about community support and safe spaces in and around universities. 

In this episode, our Head of Communications Carrie Blake talks to Joshua Hevicon, Senior Practitioner for the University Retreat, and Kerry-Ann Randle, Head of Student Support and Wellbeing for Bournemouth University, about providing safe support spaces for university students in conjunction with wider community groups and resources.  

Kerry and Josh talk about the development of the University Retreat, a free and open space for students to seek mental health support in a safe and calming environment. They discuss what the resource has done for students, the impact of a mental health safe space on the stigma of suicide and how they hope to expand.  

Listen to find out more about how to fill gaps in mental health provision for at-risk communities, especially in higher education, what successful peer-driven models can look like for the student population.  

 

Further reading 


Youth Suicide Prevention Hub: https://prevent-suicide.org.uk/youth-suicide-prevention-hub/  
Grassroots Suicide Prevention Training courses: https://prevent-suicide.org.uk/training/ 
University Retreat news story: https://www.bcha.org.uk/news/student-mental-health-service-the-university-retreat-officially-opens/  

 

If you or someone you know is at immediate risk of suicide, please contact the emergency services on 999. 

You can find more resources, advice and support below: 


Find help now: https://bit.ly/3qLtzfg  


Website: https://bit.ly/45oiFet  


Suicide Prevention Hub: https://bit.ly/3OPJyAW  


Download our app on iOS or Android: https://bit.ly/3QT8hH0  


Access the app on your computer: https://bit.ly/47OzErR 

A conversation about youth suicide and giving teachers the tools to protect students. 

In this episode, our expert trainer Joanna Johnson talks about youth suicide with Jaki Watkins, a Primary Mental Health Worker with the Schools Mental Health Service.  

Listen to find out about the impact of youth suicide on mental health provision in schools, and the training and resources needed to help educators open up conversations and offer the right support. 

Jaki’s involvement with developing new tools and training for educators has been a huge step in helping schools improve mental health understanding and provision, as well as helping them to plan for extreme situations and make the right calls.  

Jaki talks about her years of experience helping young people, staff and parents with opening up about suicide and the reality of dealing with suicidal thoughts in young people and children as well as offering guidance on what to do if you are in a similar situation.  

 

Further reading 


Grassroots Suicide Prevention Training courses: https://prevent-suicide.org.uk/training/  
Child and youth suicide in the UK report: https://stateofchildhealth.rcpch.ac.uk/evidence/mental-health/suicide  

 

If you or someone you know is at immediate risk of suicide, please contact the emergency services on 999. 

You can find more resources, advice and support below: 


Find help now: https://bit.ly/3qLtzfg  


Website: https://bit.ly/45oiFet  


Suicide Prevention Hub: https://bit.ly/3OPJyAW  


Download our app on iOS or Android: https://bit.ly/3QT8hH0  


Access the app on your computer: https://bit.ly/47OzErR 

A conversation about local councils supporting at-risk communities.  

We’re starting off with Alex Harvey, our Director of Partnerships and Innovation, speaking with Seher Kayikci, Senior Public Health Strategist in the London Borough of Barnet.  

Listen to find out how suicide prevention campaigning fits into public health strategies and what local councils can achieve by listening to, working with and supporting their populations.  

Seher talks about the importance of suicide prevention as part of wider improvements to public health, with a focus on data and partnerships of all shapes and sizes that are helping the Barnet community come together to make a tangible difference in the lives of those affected by suicide.  

 

Further reading: 


Suicide in the UK: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/suicidesintheunitedkingdom/2021registrations  
Barnet’s report on their wider campaign: https://nspa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/barnet-report.pdf 

 

If you or someone you know is at immediate risk of suicide, please contact the emergency services on 999. 

You can find more resources, advice and support below: 


Find help now: https://bit.ly/3qLtzfg  




Website: https://bit.ly/45oiFet  


Suicide Prevention Hub: https://bit.ly/3OPJyAW  


Download our app on iOS or Android: https://bit.ly/3QT8hH0  


Access the app on your computer: https://bit.ly/47OzErR 

An introduction to our podcast, Voices of Hope.  

We want to start more conversations about suicide and talk about how we can work together on prevention and education around suicide and mental health issues.  

 

If you or someone you know is in immediate risk of suicide, please contact the emergency services on 999. 

You can find more resources, advice and support below: 


Find help now: https://bit.ly/3qLtzfg  


Website: https://bit.ly/45oiFet  


Suicide Prevention Hub: https://bit.ly/3OPJyAW  


Download our app on iOS or Android: https://bit.ly/3QT8hH0  


Access the app on your computer: https://bit.ly/47OzErR