Ten Questions - Three Free Workshops Hope To Save Lives
It's a taboo subject but each year suicide claims dozens of lives in Saskatchewan.
Each time it happens it seemingly leaves grieving families and friends looking for answers and many in the the community asking how it could have been prevented.
To help change the stigma and taboo around youth suicide the Moose Jaw branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is hosting three free workshops the first week of October.
The workshops are for everyone who are interested and involved in youth who want to make a difference. For just a few hours of your time you may help save a life.
To help our readers and others we asked Nema Atsu executive director of the Moose Jaw CMHA Ten Questions about the workshops and how YOU can become involved.
What is Straight Talk all about?
The Straight Talk workshop will help people learn about the myths, risk factors, as well as protective factors involved in youth suicide and self harm, and how to identify warning signs that youth may be having thoughts of ending their life.
This workshop will also equip participants to connect the person who is having thoughts of suicide to community resources that can help them find hope for their future.
When and where is this event? How does someone attend? Is it all by pre-registration
The Straight Talk Work shop will be held on October 3rd at the Crescent Park Event Centre at 262 Athabasca Street East, from 1pm to 5pm.
We will also be facilitating. Safe Talk, a workshop for anyone over the age of 15 which helps participants learn to recognise the signs that someone may be having thoughts of suicide and the steps to take in order to connect them to resources. This workshop will be held on October 1st from 1pm-4pm.
We also have Tattered Teddies which will be held on October 2nd from 1pm-5pm. This workshop is for anyone who works with children under the age of 12, including caregivers and parents.
Anyone in the community of Moose Jaw can attend these workshops for free. We ask that anyone who would like to attend these workshops pre-register by emailing nemaa@cmhask.comor phoning the CMHA Moose Jaw office at 306-692-4240.
Tattered Teddies is designed for anyone who works with children under the age of 12
Is the first time for this event? If not how many times has it been held before?
This is the first time we have been able to offer these workshops free to all members of the community of Moose Jaw.
In the past we have facilitated the workshops for high school students, care providers, emergency workers and those in helping professions.
Who is facilitating the event? How is it being funded and why?
The Canadian Mental Health Association will be facilitating the workshops while the costs for the workshops will be funded by Journey to Hope.
These courses usually have a cost so this is an amazing opportunity for the community of Moose Jaw that Journey to Hope has provided.
Saskatchewan has the highest suicide rates in the Country, so this is really a community issue.
If we can break through the stigma by talking about suicide, and are better equipped as a community to recognize the signs and help those who are having thoughts of suicide, we can really make a difference and save lives in our community.
Straight Talk helps participants recognize the warning signs
When did Journey to Hope get started and why?
Journey to Hope was started by individuals in the community of Moose Jaw and area who have been affected by suicide.
Journey to Hope’s goal is to prevent suicide in our community and to help people heal from the trauma that losing a loved one to suicide can cause.
They raise funds to allow emergency workers, teachers, care providers and anyone who may work with others affected by suicide, intervention and prevention skills training.
Journey to Hope also works to break the stigma associated with suicide, and keep the memory of those who have lost their lives to suicide alive.
In the literature provided about this event it states suicide is the second major reason for death for young people can you give reasons why this is occuring?
The teen years can be one of the most stressful times in life.
There are many stressors and changes that youth go through at this age all while working to develop autonomy. Internal stressors such as mental, emotional, physical and spiritual, as well as external factors, such as, family, friendships and school, combined with the still developing brain and lack of coping skills, can sometimes lead youth to impulsive behavior, suicidal thoughts and actions. Other factors such as depression, anxiety, addiction, etc. can increase this risk.
New technology such as social media, the internet, and being connected 24/7 through cell phones can also have both positive and negative impacts on mental health.
Because youth don’t have the same physical health issues that older adults have, these are some major factors that make suicide the second leading cause of death for youth after car accidents.
What can ordinary people - especially parents - do to help save lives? Is this a workshop which may benefit them?
Parents and anyone can learn the signs, risk factors and protective factors that are associated with suicide in youth.
Listen and talk when they express thoughts of hopelessness. They can connect the youth to resources that can teach skills to help regulate emotions, cope with stressful life events, and build self esteem.
These courses will definitely help parents and anyone who interacts with youth to recognize the signs that their child may be thinking about suicide, learn how to support their child and connect them to resources that can help them find hope for the future.
How do you attend this workshop? What is the cost? Is it by pre-registration alone or can people show up at last minute and attend?
We ask that anyone interested pre-register by phoning the CMHA Moose Jaw Branch office at 306-692-4240 or emailing nemaa@cmhask.com. These workshops, which usually have a charge, are all being offered free at no charge to the community thanks to the funding from Journey to Hope.
Can you tell people who may be reading this and looking for answers what resources are available to help save lives in the community?
If you or someone you know are experiencing thoughts of suicide help can be found by calling Mental Health Services at 691-6464 or by calling the National Suicide prevention hotline (24/7) at 1-833-456-4566 or text #45645. If it is an emergency situation call 911.
Do you have anything else to add?
The more people in our community aware of the impacts of suicide and trained in suicide prevention, the less deaths by suicide will impact us.
Having thoughts of suicide is much more common than many people believe.
By talking about it and opening up the conversation, we break through the stigma that so often keeps people silent about what they are going through.
Isolation is a major factor that can contribute to suicidal thoughts leading to actions.
By increasing awareness and allowing people to feel comfortable expressing thoughts of suicide, they can work through those thoughts in a positive way, and in turn we can save some lives.
