Suicide has become a series of statistics and numbers, but it so, so not!

Suicide brings its own special brand of devastation. Survivors of a suicide loss claim their place in club no one would want to join.

Cycle Against Suicide – a national charity (CHY 20867) - has as its main goals, the prevention of suicide and support for those affected by it, as well as the promotion of mental health as a critical part of overall wellness. These goals recognise the link between mental health and suicide.

This recognition is what shapes Cycle Against Suicide’s approach to its work. Rather than focus only on raising awareness on suicide as a standalone subject, Cycle Against Suicide has taken an approach that blends awareness about root causes with robust prevention and intervention programmes targeted at practically all segments of society.

Schools’ Programmes.

One of the core areas of the work of Cycle Against Suicide is our evidence-based schools' programmes. 50% of mental health problems are established by the age of 14 years. One in three young people in Ireland will experience a mental health difficulty in any given year and sadly, Ireland ranks 4th highest on teen suicide, out of 31 European countries. With the formative years of our young being some of the most vulnerable, our evidence-based schools’ programmes create a caring, respectful and safe learning environment that supports mental health in schools, building hope and resilience and fostering a sense of belonging amongst young people.

Our primary schools’ programme ‘Mind Me – Mind You’ is designed in line with the well-being curriculum to support teachers in building the foundations of good mental health education and well-being in children. It fosters the creation of healthy relationships, personal development and skills central to maintaining future health and well-being. Furthermore, aligning with the primary schools’ well-being curriculum, this child-centred programme promotes resilience and social and emotional competence, equipping children with the knowledge and skills needed to address a multitude of life situations throughout their development.

Our secondary schools’ programme - HEADSTRONG help teachers and students understand mental health in all its dimensions. It uses unique learning tools to break down the nuances and intricacies of mental health issues and conditions by providing information in a way that is relatable and understandable. With knowledge that goes beyond mere familiarity with the name of conditions, teachers and students become fully competent and confident to discuss how to optimise and maintain good mental health.

As peer-to-peer education, our schools’ programme positively impacts hundreds of thousands of young people each year.

Student Congress

Our schools' programme culminates each year with our Student Congress where thousands of young people from across Ireland attend a mental health education day. Highlights from one of our events can be viewed here.

Community Buddy

Recently, we launched the Cycle Against Suicide (communities and workplace places) Buddy programme. Peer support is an emerging practice within the mental health sector. Evidence suggests that peer support can improve individuals' personal well-being and is associated with more positive attitudes towards mental and physical health, increased positive coping strategies and a decrease in negative coping strategies. Studies highlight that participants' levels of anxiety, perceived stress, locus of control and self-esteem all improve. The benefits of certified peer specialists found significant reduction in crisis services and inpatient hospitalisations. Cycle Against Suicide over the coming year aims to develop and embed a grassroots network of Buddy support that is freely accessible, delivered locally by locals, to locals in communities across Ireland.

Suicide is an incredibly complex issue. However, it is preventable with timely evidenced-based interventions. Cycle Against Suicide is deeply invested in the success of suicide prevention efforts and through our evidence-based programmes, be it schools, communities and workplaces, we strive to weave prevention into the very fabric of communities. But we cannot do it alone. By participating in our Malin to Mizen Challenge you will be supporting the work of Cycle Against Suicide.

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Created by Anna Deegan

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