September 10th every year is World Suicide Prevention Day
Download the World Suicide Prevention Day Poster 11 x 17 or World Suicide Prevention Day Poster 8.5 x 11
ALL TOGETHER – PROMOTING HOPE AND RESILIENCE IN FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES
World Suicide Prevention Day, September 10, 2012
Canada
September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD). Communities across Canada will come together to; support those bereaved by suicide, remember and celebrate the lives of those who died by suicide, support those who struggle with living, and renew our commitment to helping all Canadians reconnect with their reasons to live while building lives with dignity, purpose, and meaning.
This year the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP) has chosen the theme “All Together – Promoting Resilience in Families and Communities” to mark World Suicide Prevention Day. A 2012 World Suicide Day poster is available on the CASP website and can be downloaded and adapted by communities to promote their WSPD events.
Suicide prevention is a responsibility we all share. Saving lives requires all of us to work together and support each other. This past year can perhaps best be defined as a year when people and events came together in ways that had not possible before. Last October Parliamentarians demonstrated a rare non partisan spirit by uniting to support a motion on suicide prevention followed by a bill that called for a national suicide prevention framework. CASP joined with the Mental Health Commission of Canada to begin work on a number of initiatives that would bring people together from across Canada to work collaboratively in the interest of suicide prevention. Thus far these initiatives have included establishing a National Collaborative for Suicide Prevention and a National Distress Line Network.
This theme of “All Together” is also an invitation and challenge for every segment of society to become involved and work together in supporting suicide prevention at home, in the community, in the workplace and in every service organization. CASP is asking that every home, community, workplace and service organization take what we know about preventing suicide and put it into action by taking steps towards becoming suicide safer. We want to encourage conversation at home, at work and in the community that promote health, safety, security and resilience in each of those settings. For the past year CASP, in partnership with organizations such as Klinic Community Health Centre, the Winnipeg Suicide Prevention Network and Livingworks, has been developing or promoting new resource material to help families, communities, workplaces and service providers become suicide safer and enhance their capacity to support those at risk of suicide or affected by suicide. These resources can be downloaded from CASP’s website, adapted for your own use and made available for your WSPD event. These materials include the following:
(click on title to download)
- 2012 World Suicide Prevention Day poster 11 x 17
- 2012 World Suicide Prevention Day Poster 8.5 x 11
- Hope and Resiliency at Home
- Hope and Resiliency at Work
- Suicide Safer Organizations
- Suicide Safer Communities
- Know when to Ask About Suicide and What to Do
- Crisis/Distress Line Help Cards
- De Stress Help Cards
- Coping with Suicidal Thoughts
- After A Suicide
- After A Suicide Attempt
- Are You OK?
- Every Person’s Guide to Self Compassion
- A Guide for Early Responders- Supporting Survivors Bereaved by Suicide
- Calm in the Storm- Coping with the Stresses of Living
- Guidelines for Suicide Awareness Campaigns
Also:
- a link to all the Centre for Suicide Prevention’s Resource Toolkits – the latest is Women and Suicide: http://suicideinfo.ca/SearchResults.aspx?Search=Resource+Toolkits
“Hope and Resiliency at Home” explores simple yet powerful activities that families can do to encourage each member’s sense of mental well being to promote suicide safety. Resource packages for families have been created to assist families in having these important conversations at home. Packages are available on line at www.suicideprevention.ca.
On September 10th, we hope that your community will share this life affirming information with families in your community. We are not alone and stronger together. On behalf of CASP’s National Office and entire board of Directors we thank you for your support and hope that your WSPD event is successful, no matter how big or small. The smallest acts of kindness and compassion are often the most powerful and the ones that make the biggest difference. One person can make a difference in someone’s else`s life. Make a difference. Be the difference.
CASP in partnership with survivor groups has also produced a special pin that commemorates suicide prevention, suicide loss, the strength and resilience of survivors and hope. These pins, which blend the CASP logo with that of a ribbon, are available for purchase through CASP and can be used by community groups to promote suicide awareness in their community and for fundraising. Pins can be purchased for $2.50 each.
Please let us know what events your community has planned for World Suicide Day. We will post those events if you share them with us. You can contact us at admin@casp-acps.ca
See also: www.livingworks.net
