PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide

MYTH: People who talk about suicide are just attention-seeking. FACT: Anyone talking about suicide needs serious attention. Active suicidal ideation is often temporary and situation-specific. Your words can make a difference. Let's break down the stigma and offer support to those who need it. Remember, you're not alone. If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, or you are concerned about a young person who is, our HOPELINE247 advisers are here for you. Call 0800 068 4141, text 'HOPE' to 88247 or email pat@papyrus-uk.org. We're here 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 💜

This International Day of Charity, we’re celebrating the power of small acts. Because when it comes to suicide prevention, charity takes many forms: starting a conversation, sharing a poster, or putting our name forward at work. Every one of us has the power to make a difference. Here are six ways you can support PAPYRUS today and help us create a society where young people feel safe to open up about their feelings: 1️⃣ Give HOPE monthly: By becoming a regular donor, you can help find life-saving conversations. Just £15 can fund a 30-minute call, text, or webchat with a trained adviser. £65 could provide suicide prevention awareness training in a school or workplace. £200 can fund a full Suicide First Aid qualification. Your monthly gift helps us be here, and stay here, for young people who need us most. 2️⃣ Nominate us in your workplace Does your company run a charity of the year ballot or corporate giving scheme? Nominate PAPYRUS and help bring suicide prevention into your workplace. Your vote could lead to awareness events, staff training, or a long-term partnership that saves lives. 3️⃣ Share our free resources Sometimes, change starts with a conversation starter. Our free posters, guides, and digital toolkits can be shared with schools, workplaces, parents, carers, or in your community. A single poster in the right place could connect someone to life-saving support. 4️⃣ Organise suicide prevention training Bring a SPARK session or ASIST training to your team, school or local group. Our sessions give people the skills to spot the signs of suicide and the confidence to act. Whether you're suggesting it to HR or fundraising to cover the cost, this is an act of charity that truly ripples outward. 5️⃣ Take on a fundraising challenge Run, skydive, zipwire, wing-walk, or cycle overseas, however you choose to challenge yourself, do it in support of young people. 6️⃣ Volunteer your time Time is powerful. As a PAPYRUS volunteer, you could help at local events, support our teams, or use your lived experience to support others. Volunteering helps us reach more communities, raise awareness, and make suicide prevention everyone’s business. Whether you give money, time, or simply share our name, you’re helping to break stigma and build a future with fewer lives lost to suicide. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eYMydFZz #InternationalDayOfCharity #SuicidePrevention

"We know our children have been talking to one another about suicide in the playground, but those conversations have not continued in the classroom." This is why we've launched our new, free school resource, Sinking Feeling. 💜 Based on our award-winning animation, the Sinking Feeling School Resource will equip teaching staff, the growing number of Education Mental Health Practitioners, pastoral leads, teaching assistants and safeguarding leads to be able to tackle difficult subjects in a positive and supportive way, and to help our young people get the support they need and deserve. PAPYRUS CEO Ged Flynn added: "Children aged 10 or 11 will begin to be taught life-skills which they will be able to use to protect themselves and those around them.” The resource is free-of-charge providing education staff or other professionals who work with children and young people have undertaken PAPYRUS’ SPEAK training or the LivingWorks’ ASIST programme. The resources will initially be offered in England, with rollout across Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales expected in 2026. ➡️ Help us bring this resource to every school. For more details about what the licence will include and to register, please go to: https://lnkd.in/eRD_ARsv

Our World Suicide Prevention Day 2025 Supporter Pack is here. 💜 This year’s theme is “Changing the Narrative on Suicide”, and together we can raise hope, break stigma and make suicide prevention everyone’s business. The pack is filled with everything you need to get involved in #WSPD2025, including social media graphics, messaging, fundraising and event ideas. Every share, every conversation, every action matters. Download the pack today and help us create a future where fewer lives are lost to suicide. 👉 https://ow.ly/BY4V50WJnBv #WorldSuicidePreventionDay #SuicidePrevention

💭 WHAT WE MEAN WHEN WE SAY SUICIDE IS PREVENTABLE We say it often - suicide is preventable. But what does that really mean? It doesn’t mean that every death by suicide can be anticipated. It doesn’t mean one person carries all the responsibility to save another. And it certainly doesn’t mean placing blame when someone is lost. It means there are always things we can do, individually and collectively, to reduce risk, increase safety, and build hope. Here’s how prevention happens: 💜 1. It starts with open, stigma-free conversations. Silence can be deadly. Creating safe spaces where young people can talk openly about suicidal thoughts is a powerful first step. 💜 2. It means recognising the signs and asking directly. We must get comfortable with uncomfortable conversations. Asking someone, “Are you having thoughts of suicide?” can be life-saving. 💜 3. It’s about connecting to support early. Many young people don’t reach crisis before reaching out, but when they do, there must be somewhere to turn. Services, such as HOPELINE247, offer life-saving support in those moments. 💜 4. It means challenging misconceptions. We must challenge stigma, harmful myths, and silence. Shame should never stand between someone and support. 💜 5. It includes training and education. Equipping people, professionals and communities with suicide prevention skills empowers more of us to keep others safe. From our free 30-minute SPARK session to our CPD-accredited SPEAK and ASIST courses, we offer practical tools for real change. 💜 6. It’s about hope. Always. Even when someone feels lost of all hope, suicide is not inevitable. With connection, compassion, and the right intervention, many young lives can be saved. Suicide prevention is not a single act. It’s a commitment to care, to act, and to believe that help is possible, even in the darkest moments. If you believe in a world where young people don’t have to suffer in silence, you're already part of the solution.

As a teacher or school staff member, you might be one of the first people to notice when a young person is struggling. But knowing what to look out for and how to respond can feel overwhelming – and understandably outside the scope of your day-to-day role. Our latest blog shares gentle, practical guidance to help you spot the signs and feel more confident supporting young people who may be having thoughts of suicide. 💜 Every conversation counts. Read the full blog now: https://lnkd.in/eEnyAPtq

Together we can create a suicide-safer community. Explore PAPYRUS's diverse suicide prevention training sessions, ranging from 30 minutes to two days. Whether you're an individual, organisation, or community, we have options to help create a suicide-safer society. Interested? ⬇️ We have a range of open sessions available on our website. Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/eyMERWf6 💜

Worried that someone you know might be having thoughts of suicide? It can be scary, difficult, and upsetting to talk about suicide – but it is necessary. Here are some tips to help start the conversation, so that somebody struggling can access the support that they need. 💜 If you're experiencing thoughts of suicide, or are concerned for a young person who might be, our HOPELINE247 advisers are here to help with staying safe: call 0800 068 4141, text HOPE to 88247, or email pat@papyrus-uk.org.

We're #hiring. PAPYRUS is looking for a Bilingual Suicide Prevention Officer to help us deliver impactful training and education programmes in both English and Welsh, upskilling individuals and organisations to prevent suicide and play a part in saving young lives. This role is home-based but there will be regular travel in the Cardiff area. There's just ONE WEEK LEFT to apply - don't miss your chance to join us. 💜 We also have other exciting opportunities available across the charity. View all current vacancies and apply here: https://lnkd.in/g88whF67

💭 WHAT ARE THE PROTECTIVE FACTORS AGAINST SUICIDE? When it comes to suicide prevention, we often focus on warning signs, but just as vital are the protective factors - the things that help keep young people safe, grounded, and connected to life. Protective factors don’t 'immunise' someone against suicidal thoughts, but they can buffer distress and increase a young person’s sense of connection and hope. And the good news? Many of them can be nurtured by parents, peers, professionals, and workplaces. Here are some key protective factors: 💜 1. Strong, trusting relationships with peers or adults A young person who has even one safe adult to confide in is significantly less likely to die by suicide. That connection could be with a parent, teacher, youth worker, coach, or colleague. ✔️ Let them know you're there ✔️ Be consistent and non-judgemental ✔️ Take them seriously if they reach out 💜 2. A sense of purpose and belonging Whether it’s school, work, hobbies, volunteering or activism, young people are safer when they feel they matter and that they’re part of something bigger. ✔️ Celebrate their interests ✔️ Encourage involvement in meaningful activities ✔️ Create inclusive environments where they feel valued 💜 3. Positive self-esteem Teaching and modelling emotional regulation, problem-solving, and self-care give young people the tools they can reach for when life feels overwhelming. ✔️ Talk openly about mental health ✔️ Normalise seeking help ✔️ Encourage coping strategies that work for them 💜 4. Safe and supportive environments Feeling physically and emotionally safe at home, in school, online or at work is key. This includes feeling accepted, particularly for LGBTQ+ young people and those facing discrimination. ✔️ Be actively inclusive ✔️ Tackle bullying and stigma ✔️ Promote policies that centre wellbeing 💜 5. Access to timely, specialist support Protective factors aren’t about fixing everything; they’re about connecting. Knowing where and how to seek help in a crisis can be life-saving. 📞 HOPELINE247 – For anyone under 35 who is experiencing thoughts of suicide, or anyone concerned for them: 0800 068 4141 | Text: 'HOPE' to 88247 | Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org