To help destigmatize suicide, the Canadian Mental Health Association York Region and South Simcoe is investing in a suicide prevention training program for youth in Newmarket.
The program is being funded as part of the Canada Post Community Foundation’s grants with $5,000 raised by Canada Post in Newmarket going toward this program.
With the donation, the program will be able to train 30 Newmarket youth between the ages of 15 and 21.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth and young adults between the ages of 15 and 34.
“We know not all suicides can be prevented, but strategies can be put in place to ensure people are kept safer from suicide,” said Danielle Luciano, a training specialist with Canadian Mental Health Association who manages the community education training program.
Luciano said that’s why the funding of this program is so important because education is key and through safe talk training like this, it can empower those who take the course to support friends and family who may be experiencing suicide-related thoughts.
The York Region and South Simcoe branch is one of the largest and fastest growing Canadian Mental Health Association branches with 18,300 community members utilizing it for service and support last year.
A great way education programs support the community is by providing the opportunity for people to support their owned loved ones, said Luciano. With wait lists for support sometimes slowing down the process, Luciano says community members who take education programs can support those close to them while they wait for the help they need.
“The training will help people recognize the signs and symptoms of suicide and ask that very difficult question, ‘Are you thinking about suicide?’ Because believe it or not, that’s one of the hardest things to ask,” said Luciano.
The training emphasizes asking that question and one of the goals is to create more awareness around it, while stopping the idea that talking about suicide will somehow create it, said Luciano.
“The idea is most people who are experiencing thoughts and symptoms of suicide invite help,” she said.
Noticing those subtle signs is a big piece of this program with education on behaviours and ways to pick up on language or comments.
According to the Government of Canada, about 12 people die by suicide each day and about 4,500 die by suicide each year.
“This training is life saving,” said Luciano.
This year the Canada Post Community Foundation program awarded $1.2 million in grants to 84 organizations across Canada. The grants are distributed within each community they’re raised in, going toward organizations’ efforts to improve the lives of Canadian children and youth.
Since 2012, the Canada Post Community Foundation program has raised $12.9 million and helped more than 1,000 different community projects.
