READ BETWEEN THE LINES

One in three veterans have felt suicidal in their lifetime. It’s not a topic people find easy talking about.

Could you read between the lines to understand what people are really thinking? 

One life taken by suicide is one too many. 

That’s why we’re on a mission to create suicide-safer communities, where veterans and their families get the support they need. 

Our free online Suicide Awareness Training, developed in partnership with Zero Suicide Alliance (ZSA), teaches you how to spot the signs that someone might be feeling suicidal. You will also develop the confidence and tools to start a conversation and signpost them to the right support.

Research has shown that veterans are less likely to ask for help if they are having suicidal thoughts, compared to the general public.     

Our mission is to create suicide-safer communities for veterans and encourage earlier help-seeking behaviour.  

Our Suicide Awareness and Self-Help project has been made possible through funding from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust as part of their ‘One is Too Many’ Programme which aims to reduce veteran suicides.  

The project comprises of three parts: 

1. Arming the people of the UK with the tools they need to have a potentially life-saving conversation - We have developed free online suicide awareness training in partnership with Zero Suicide Alliance (ZSA).
2. For the veterans and families we support, we have developed a new Suicide Awareness and Self-Help recovery college course. See below for more information.
3. Policy Ask to local authorities to include the following in their suicide prevention action plans: 

• Identify veterans as a ‘high-risk’ group /ensure that tailored approaches are taken to support veterans with specific characteristics.
• Engage with veteran charities/representatives including a commitment by their Armed Forces Champion to take our online suicide awareness training.
• Improve their signposting for local veteran-specific support services, such as mental health services and bereavement support. 

To support this project we conducted a survey into mental health and suicide in the GB adult population and the Armed Forces Community (8,346 adults, YouGov Plc, July 2022).

Community outreach - what can I do to help?

We’re reaching out to those in local communities who might spend time with veterans, such as tattoo artists and barbers. Places where people are relaxed and more likely to open up. We will encourage people in these public-facing roles to take the suicide awareness training. 

The online training gives examples of helpful phrases to say to people who are struggling. For example, if you have concerns about someone, it’s ok to ask if they are feeling suicidal. Hearing that question in a calm way, can help get someone talking.

Could you help us share our campaign in your local community? Why not encourage your workplace to get involved? 

Useful resources

_{Research conducted by YouGov Plc into mental health and suicide in the GB adult population and the Armed Forces Community. July 2022, total sample size of 8,346 adults including 455 veterans, 57 serving personnel and 2,405 family/friends of serving/veterans.}