ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) is a two-day interactive workshop in suicide first aid. Aware offers this programme to community gatekeepers like teachers and coaches, as well as to relatives of individuals with long-term experience of depression who feel they would benefit from learning the skills involved.
Many people thinking about suicide will communicate this in some way, offering us opportunities to respond. However, some of these signals will be non-verbal and it can be difficult to recognise them. Suicide intervention training can help all of us see, hear and respond to these invitations to intervene. It also increases our confidence to ask about suicide when someone's safety may be in the balance. If someone is at risk, suicide first aid prepares us to work with them to increase their immediate safety and get further help.
ASIST trains participants to reduce the immediate risk of a suicide and increase the support for a person at risk. The workshop provides opportunities to learn what a person at risk may need from others in order to keep safe and get more help. As part of preparing people to provide suicide first aid, it encourages honest, open and direct talk about suicide.
Participants also consider how personal attitudes and experiences might affect their helping role with a person at risk. Attendance for the two full days is essential. The content of the workshop may be difficult to deal with if you are feeling emotionally vulnerable. So if you have suicidal thoughts, or have been recently bereaved (particularly through suicide), you may wish to delay taking part in the course until you are feeling stronger emotionally.