NEW ZSA suicide awareness training for university students

Zero Suicide Alliance (ZSA) has launched Suicide Awareness Training to support the UK’s 2.4 million students to have potentially life-saving conversations.

Sadly 2,382 young people took their own lives (aged between 15 and 24) in England, Scotland and Wales between 2018 and 2020, according to a recent Samaritans report. The latest available data on student suicide figures (ONS, 2018) stated that eight students a month died by suicide in the academic year 2016 to 2017.

Student mental health is a huge priority for UK universities and particularly support for students who may be at risk of suicide.

ZSA’s training aims to support students, their families and friends, to:

• recognise someone who may be struggling
• approach a difficult conversation
• signpost to for support.

The training will be shared across the UK’s universities and Professor Steve West, President of Universities UK and Vice-Chancellor of University of the West of England welcomed its launch.

He said: “It is difficult to overstate the importance of open conversations and of clear and simple access to support for students who are struggling. This online training is a hugely valuable tool for students as well as the family and friends who may be worried about them.

“It is a priority for the higher education sector to support students who may be at risk, and we have a collective ambition to eliminate all avoidable deaths from suicide.

“I would encourage every university to spread the word about the ZSA training across campus and beyond.”

For more information about the training, visit https://www.zerosuicidealliance.com/suicide-awareness-training-uni-students