A Three-Tiered Approach to Suicide Prevention
The Vancouver Island Crisis Society’s Community Education department provides varied training to three target groups: 1) high school students; 2) administrators, counsellors, and school resource staff; and 3) teachers. The Three-Tiered Approach to Suicide Prevention’s goal is to provide evidence-based training and information on the subject of suicide.
The programs listed below have been designed to offer practical approaches of intervention; provide communication and assessment strategies; and facilitate early prevention programs to build resilience in children at risk of suicide. Workshops and courses can be customized for individual groups of learners.
For Students
- GRASP (Growth, Resilience, Acknowledgement, Suicide Awareness, Preparation and Safe Planning)
GRASP is a 12-hour skill building program that provides youth from Grades 9 to 12 with self-awareness, communication, and coping skills that will aid them in their personal and professional growth as well as contribute to an overall plan for ongoing youth suicide prevention programs within the school district.
- Speak Out, Reach Out, Help Out
An 80-minute suicide awareness and prevention presentation designed for Grade 9 and 10 students that encourages students to Speak Out if they are in emotional distress or worried about someone else, Reach Out for help and support, and Help others do the same.
Our youth programs blend a mixture of positive current media, participatory activities, and messaging that encourages students to “Safe Plan” and reach out for help. We require that a school counsellor or youth support worker sit in on all presentations as a way of bridging students to the counseling department, and include a live call to Vancouver Island Crisis Line so that students can hear and feel what it is to call for help. The 80-minute session ends with a 20-minute stress relieving activity where they create a “Feel Better” card for someone who is hurting and encourages them to COPE (Communicate, Explore Options, Plan for Safety, Enjoy Life). The cards go directly to the counselling department to be handed out to younger students.
The temperature of all of our programs is one of hope.
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For Teachers and Other School Staff
- Suicide Awareness and Repsonse
A three-hour program for Professional Development Days: Suicide Awareness and Response that teaches school personnel to recognize Warning Signs for suicide and activate appropriate response based on school district protocols.
- School Protocols Training Day
A yearly three-hour refresher for counsellors, youth workers, and administrators about Suicide Warning Signs and appropriate response based on school district protocols.
A two-day intensive suicide intervention training program.
Twenty-four counsellors were trained in ASIST in 2010.