Suicide Awareness
Build a clearer understanding of suicide prevention and learn how to recognise when someone may need support.
Suicide Awareness
The Suicide Awareness course is a 3.5-hour suicide prevention awareness session that introduces the theory and practice of suicide intervention skills. It is suitable for professional and personal settings, helping learners understand that suicide is preventable and that early, compassionate support can help someone stay safe.
This suicide awareness training gives learners the knowledge and basic skills to recognise when someone may be thinking about suicide, understand suicidal thoughts and behaviour, and refer someone to a suicide first aider using the Suicide-Safety Guide.
Delivered by experienced suicide prevention trainers, the session is structured, sensitive and practical. It supports learners to explore a difficult subject with care, while building confidence in how to respond.
What Is Suicide Awareness Training?
Suicide awareness training helps learners understand suicide prevention, recognise when someone may be thinking about suicide and take appropriate steps to connect them with further support.
Many people worry about saying the wrong thing or not knowing what to do if they are concerned about someone. This course helps reduce uncertainty by introducing clear language, practical understanding and a structured guide for recognising and asking about suicide.
The course does not make learners therapists, counsellors or clinicians. It also does not replace emergency, clinical or specialist support. Instead, it gives learners the awareness and basic skills to notice concern, respond carefully and refer someone to a suicide first aider where appropriate.
The focus is on prevention, compassion and helping someone move towards safety and support.
Who Is This Course For?
Suicide Awareness is suitable for anyone who wants to build confidence in recognising when someone may be thinking about suicide and knowing how to respond.
No previous experience or training is necessary. The course is widely used across:
This course works well as a standalone suicide prevention awareness session. It can also be used as a first step towards the full-day Suicide First Aid course for learners who need more in-depth suicide intervention skills.
It is especially useful for organisations that want more people to feel able to recognise possible warning signs, respond with care and know how to refer someone onwards.
What will learners gain from the course?
By the end of the Suicide Awareness course, learners will have a clearer understanding of suicide prevention and the basic skills needed to help someone with thoughts of suicide stay safe.
Learners will explore how to:
- Identify someone who may be thinking about suicide
- Understand suicidal thoughts and behaviour
- Understand some of the causes behind suicidal thoughts and behaviour
- Recognise the difference between suicidal thoughts and behaviour
- Understand intention versus outcome
- Recognise the wider impact of suicide
- Use the Suicide-Safety Guide to support referral
- Refer someone to a suicide first aider
- Approach suicide prevention with care, confidence and compassion
The course is designed to be practical and supportive. Learners are not expected to have all the answers. Instead, they are supported to build awareness, recognise when someone may need help and understand what their next step could be.
Suicide is a sensitive subject, and the session is delivered with care and respect throughout.
The Suicide Awareness course is delivered over 3.5 hours.
The course is delivered face-to-face or online by experienced suicide prevention trainers.
This format gives learners a balance of knowledge, reflection and practical application. It supports people to engage with the topic in a structured way, while building confidence gradually.
Because the subject can feel personal or emotionally significant, the training is delivered with clear boundaries and care. Learners are encouraged to take part at a level that feels appropriate for them.
The Suicide Awareness course is delivered in two parts, introducing learners to suicide prevention, stigma, suicidal thoughts and behaviour, and the Suicide-Safety Guide.
What Does The Course Cover?
The Suicide First Aid course is structured across twoparts.
Session 1
The first part of the course introduces suicide prevention and helps learners begin to understand the wider context around suicide.
Learners explore stigma and the impact suicide can have on those bereaved by suicide. The session also looks at suicidal thoughts versus behaviour, intention versus outcome, possible causes and the ripple effect of suicide.
This part of the course helps learners develop a more informed, compassionate understanding of suicide prevention.
It includes:
- Introduction to suicide prevention
- Stigma and its impact
- The impact on those bereaved by suicide
- Suicidal thoughts versus behaviour
- Intention versus outcome
- Possible causes of suicidal thoughts and behaviour
- The ripple effect of suicide
Session 2
The second part of the course uses an audiovisual case study to help learners apply their understanding in a practical way.
Learners are introduced to the Suicide-Safety Guide, including how to recognise and ask about suicide. The session also explores how to refer someone to a suicide first aider.
This part of the training focuses on practical awareness, confidence and appropriate next steps.
It includes:
- Audiovisual case study
- The Suicide-Safety Guide
- Recognising suicide
- Asking about suicide
- Referring someone to a suicide first aider
What Will Learners Receive?
After completing the Suicide Awareness course, learners receive resources to support their learning and continued confidence.
Course takeaways include:
These resources are designed to help learners revisit key points from the session and continue reflecting on suicide prevention, referral and appropriate support after the training.
Why Choose Changing Minds Training?
Changing Minds Training delivers suicide prevention and mental health training with care, structure and practical focus.
Suicide awareness can feel difficult to talk about. Many people worry about what to say, whether they should ask directly or how to respond if someone shares that they are thinking about suicide. This course gives learners a clearer understanding of suicide prevention and a structured way to support someone towards further help.
Led by Founding Director Olivia-Louise Hamilton, Changing Minds Training brings together lived experience, professional clinical expertise and emergency services experience. This helps the session feel steady, compassionate and relevant to real situations.
Our suicide awareness training is:
- Practical and confidence-building
- Sensitive to the subject of suicide prevention
- Suitable for professional and personal settings
- Clear about referral and appropriate support
- Designed for learners with no previous experience
- Delivered by experienced suicide prevention trainers
- Useful as a standalone session or first step towards Suicide First Aid
The aim is to help learners feel more prepared to recognise concern, respond with care and know what to do next.
Public And Private Suicide Awareness Training
The Suicide Awareness course is available for individuals, groups and organisations.
Public Courses
Public courses may be suitable for individuals or small groups who want to build suicide awareness and understand how to refer someone to a suicide first aider.
These sessions can be helpful for people working in professional settings, community roles or personal contexts where they may want more confidence recognising when someone may need support.
Private Courses
Private courses are delivered for one organisation.
This can be a helpful option if you want your staff or volunteers to develop a shared understanding of suicide prevention and learn the same approach to recognising, asking and referring.
The Suicide Awareness course is available for groups of up to 20 learners.
Individual Rate
Group Rate
Is This The Right Course For Your Organisation?
Suicide Awareness is a strong option if you want to introduce suicide prevention in a structured, sensitive and accessible way.
This course helps learners understand suicidal thoughts and behaviour, recognise when someone may be thinking about suicide and refer them to a suicide first aider using the Suicide-Safety Guide. It works well for organisations that want to build awareness across teams without requiring every learner to complete the full-day Suicide First Aid course.
If you want to give your people basic suicide prevention skills and a clearer understanding of what to do next, this course is a helpful place to start.
If you would like to talk through whether Suicide Awareness is the right level for your team, we’re here to help you compare options.
Enquire About Suicide Awareness Training
Ready to bring suicide awareness training to your organisation?
Get in touch to ask about public course dates, private delivery or whether this session or the full-day Suicide First Aid course is the right fit for your team.
- Call Us Directly01737 632279
- Send an Emailenquiries@changingmindstraining.com
- Business Hours
Monday – Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM