We are building a supportive environment for young people in mental health crisis.

How to recognize a crisis and respond

Participants will acquire knowledge on how to identify emotional and suicidal crisis in children and adolescents, how to communicate with students experiencing emotional distress (including suicidal thoughts), and what attitudes to adopt when faced with such situations. Another crucial component of the training is an exploration of preventive measures that can be implemented by schools to promote the mental well-being of young people.

Self-harm: understand to prevent

The aim of the training is to enhance the understanding of self-destructive behaviors in children and adolescents. Participants will gain insights into the potential psychological functions of self-harming behavior in a young person’s experience, and acquire strategies to respond after discovering self-destructive conduct. In addition, they will develop the skills needed to plan and implement interventions that enable students to explore healthier and safer coping mechanisms. They will also learn how to address the phenomenon of ‘contagion’ related to self-destructive behavior.

How to support students after a suicide attempt

The purpose of the training is to explore actions that can be taken by teachers to support students after a suicide attempt. During the training, participants will learn about the role of the crisis team in such circumstances and gain insights into practical strategies for interacting with a student after a suicide attempt (for example, how to talk about suicidal thoughts and tendencies, and how to implement a safety plan). In addition, participants will receive guidance on how to effectively communicate with parents and adjust the educational approach to the student’s level of functioning after a suicide attempt.

The aim of the educational meeting for parents is to improve their understanding of how emotional crisis unfolds in children and adolescents. Participating in the meeting offers an opportunity to gain insights into the experiences of a young person going through distress, and to find solutions to issues that trouble adults. Moreover, parents will be provided with guidance on various approaches to addressing their child’s challenges and the available avenues of support, including finding help for themselves.

Free online consultations for parents and teachers provide the chance to have one-on-one sessions with a specialist in suicidology. During these sessions, all adults who reach out will have an opportunity to discuss the situation and emotional challenges facing their child/adolescent or student. The consultations revolve around topics including risk behaviors, self-harm, and suicidal tendencies. One of the benefits of the consultations, aside from access to specialist support, is a short waiting period.

As part of the project, participating schools will have an opportunity to collaborate with a specialist in developing a crisis management procedure. The procedure will include step-by-step guidelines to follow and outline the responsibilities of individual staff members. By developing the procedure, schools are better prepared for handling instances of suicidal behavior, and teaching staff are equipped with the necessary guidance on how to approach such situations. The procedure is developed during online consultations.

As part of the project, participating schools will have an opportunity to collaborate with a specialist in developing a crisis management procedure. The procedure will include step-by-step guidelines to follow and outline the responsibilities of individual staff members. By developing the procedure, schools are better prepared for handling instances of suicidal behavior, and teaching staff are equipped with the necessary guidance on how to approach such situations.