Trigger Warning: this page includes mention of suicide.

• Find out more about World Suicide Prevention Day and why it’s important.
• Sign up to a free workshop.
• Download free resources: a poster, a prevention resource, a post-suicide resource and an infographic.
• Access relevant blogs.

World Suicide Prevention Day takes place on 10 September every year and is organised by the International Association for Suicide Prevention and co-sponsored by the World Health Organisation. It was established to ‘raise awareness around the globe that suicide can be prevented’. We agree. This is why we advocate for building positive mental health in and through work by creating a culture of prevention. This includes providing all workers with the knowledge, tools and confidence to recognise mental ill-health in themselves and in their colleagues. Through normalising conversations about mental health, it will end the stigma that persistently surrounds it and empower more people to seek support if/when they need it.

Why is World Suicide Prevention Day important?

The shocking statistics regarding the suicide in our key sectors tell us why World Suicide Prevention Day is so important:

• Three in five suicides are by men, with suicide the biggest cause of death for men under 50. [ONS]
• In 2023, there were 6,069 suicides registered in the England and Wales. [ONS]
• Research has identified an increase in 'deaths of despair' – deaths attributed to alcohol, drugs, and suicide. These deaths have risen by 24% since the pandemic, equating to approximately 3,700 additional deaths in 2023 compared to pre-pandemic levels. [Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Health Foundation]

As the Office of National Statistic report stated: attempting to explain suicide is complex as it is likely that a number of factors act together to increase risk, including some job-related features. We believe employers can play a critical role in helping to prevent suicides.

There is both a moral case, and a strong business case, for focusing on optimising the mental wellbeing of workers (whether directly employed or part of the supply chain). Placing prevention at the heart of changes to company culture is a first step in achieving that.

Resources

At Mates in Mind, we work with organisations to improve the mental health of their workforce by providing the skills, clarity, and confidence to employers on how to raise awareness, improve understanding, implement effective interventions and end the stigma that surrounds mental health.

This is why we have created a suite of resources to support organisations not only during World Suicide Prevention Day, but also to build a supportive workplace culture which creates positive mental health in and through work.

Please scroll down beyond the form to download additional free resources including a free poster.

Thirdly, you can download a free poster and share it across your organisation.

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Finally, please also visit our Resources page where you can download additional free resources.

Visit our Resources

Please sign up to our newsletter at the bottom of this page to be informed when we publish new campaign pages (like this one) and new blogs in our ‘How to optimise your mental wellbeing’ series. They can all be found:

Blogs

How we can support you

Mates in Mind can support your organisation to build a mental health plan and to create a culture of prevention.

Our dedicated team of Support Managers work with organisations of any size to develop a tailored action plan, evaluating your organisation's priorities and gaps, and providing the tools and support you need.

This plan will not only include ongoing support with communication and delivery of your plan, but also training opportunities, promotional materials, and a suite of tools (including awareness date resources) to enable you to drive long-lasting and meaningful change.

Find out more about how we can help your organisation build a culture of prevention when you become a Supporter by:

• Visiting our Become a Supporter page.
• Calling: 020 3510 5018.
• Emailing: [email protected]
• Using this contact form.

If you would like to know when we publish new resources, please complete the newsletter sign up at the bottom of this page.