Public Health Isle of Man is expanding suicide prevention training programme so more people across the community can recognise when someone may be at risk.
Local charity Isle Stand Up To Suicide is delivering the training to members of the public, corporate groups and frontline workers.
The organisation has trained around 500 people since launching in 2023, and a new two‑year agreement with Public Health forms a key part of the island’s Suicide Prevention Strategy.
Suicide Prevention
A training session was held yesterday (May 13) at St John Ambulance in Douglas as part of Mental Health Awareness Week.
The charity’s Question, Persuade, Refer programme teaches people how to spot warning signs, start supportive conversations and guide someone towards appropriate help.
The expanded partnership will see training offered to a wide range of sectors, including housing and prison officers, sports coaches, farmers, barbers, hairdressers, emergency control room staff and volunteers from local charities. Training remains open to anyone.
Paula Dunlop, Chairperson of Isle Stand Up To Suicide, said the aim is to ensure key groups “feel confident in spotting the signs, asking the right questions, and signposting anyone who may be at risk”.
Minister for the Cabinet Office Hon David Ashford MBE MHK, said making suicide everyone’s business remains an important focus of the Suicide Prevention Strategy.
The Minister said: “We have made significant progress since the Suicide Prevention Strategy launched, beginning with the pilot programme BarberTalk in 2025 which trained 20 barbers across the island.
“We said we would collaborate with local organisations for training across other sectors. The partnership with Isle Stand Up to Suicide directly supports the aims of the Suicide Prevention Strategy by strengthening partnerships across society, increasing support for people in crisis, and improving training so communities, businesses and individuals can recognise when someone is struggling.”
