Volunteers with Crosserlough GFC(Gaelic Football Club) took part in a safeTALK workshop which was facilitated by HSE Connecting for Life Cavan Monaghan in the Crosserlough GAA Club on the evening of Friday 28th January.

Edel Reilly, Health & Wellbeing Officer with Crosserlough GAA organised the training in the local community and explained that she wanted to run this workshop for the Senior members of their Club. Edel highlighted that “there is a lot of peer pressure on young people of this generation and we want to be able to help look out for them and to let them know that support is available”.

Emer Mulligan, Resource Officer for Suicide Prevention with HSE Cavan Monaghan Mental Health Service explained “the safeTALK training supports people to move beyond common tendencies to miss, dismiss or avoid suicide. It helps participants to identify people who have thoughts of suicide and apply the TALK (Tell, Ask, Listen and Keep safe) steps to connect a person with suicidal thoughts to people and agencies that can help”.

This training is suitable for anyone over the age of 18 years who wants to help prevent suicide and is prepared to become a ‘suicide alert’ helper, i.e. front line workers, clergy, volunteers, teachers and people responding to family and friends.

Hazel Leahy, safeTALK Trainer in the Cavan community highlighted the value of the training in communities and explained that “suicide is a significant public health concern in Ireland. In response to this, the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention has been a forerunner in the development of standards for training in suicide prevention. The aim of the programme is to improve and enhance the skill levels and confidence of people within the community in responding to people in suicidal crisis”.

Feedback from participants on the evening was very positive with attendees highlighting that the training will give them more confidence in reaching out to someone they may be concerned about and also in helping them identify the signs that someone may at risk and need some additional help. One participant explained that they “took a lot from the training because it was interactive and practical”.

For more information on safeTALK or to book a place on a local training programme, go to https://bookwhen.com/suicidepreventiontrainingcho1 or contact emer.mulligan@hse.ie

If you, or someone you know needs support, you can find information on http://www.yourmentalhealth.ie or Freecall Samaritans on 116 123 for a listening ear.