Dr Gill Green, CEO and Co-founder of STORM Skills Training CIC, recently delivered a short introductory workshop at Keyll Darree, Nobles Hospital, to raise awareness of suicide. The workshop, 'Working towards Suicide Prevention: Taking Emotional Health into Consideration', was an opportunity to start the conversation around suicide and self-harm and to make connections with emotional health. Gill said,

"Looking after our emotional health is important if we are to deal with stress and distress before suicide becomes an option”.

Thanks to support from the Isle of Man Community Foundation and assistance from the ManxBioMed Association, there was no charge to attend the workshop. Participants came from a variety of backgrounds and included teachers, youth workers, company HR staff, Samaritans volunteers and Government Ministers. Attendee Lon Pinkerton, Human Resources Officer at Manx Utilities said

“Despite the sensitivity of the subject matter, this workshop was a positive experience and dovetails with key messages from other health and wellbeing initiatives. This can only be of help to employers and colleagues in identifying issues at an early stage and provide the help and support necessary to resolve matters without adverse outcomes.”

Sadly, suicide and self-harm occurs across all ages, although there are groups of the population that are more at risk than others. Changing technology such as the growing intrusion of social media, particularly in the lives of young people, adds new and additional pressures for us to understand and manage. Joanna Steriopulos, Director of CPD, Queen Elizabeth II High School said,
“The workshop provided an excellent opportunity to learn more about suicide prevention and discuss with colleagues how to promote emotional heath in schools. Gill was both informative and practical in terms of how young people can be helped.”

Also present was John Shimmin, MHK, Minister for Policy and Reform and Ralph Peake, MHK, Member of the Department of Health and Social Care. John Shimmin said,

“I am sure we’ll both take many lessons back into our Departments. We certainly look forward to welcoming Gill back again, as we continue to work closely with the Islands existing social care expertise.”

Dr Gill Green said

“It was a pleasure to facilitate the workshop to such a dedicated group of professionals. All are passionate about making a difference in the work they do and in the community. This is where suicide prevention begins”.

The next Course, being held on 21st July, will be open to mental health, GP, and other medical professionals. Please contact Sally Carpenter: sally@manxbiomed.im for further details.