ASIST Training

Create a life-assisting community

It begins with you, the benefits live on

This training is two full days. We will begin at 8:30am and end at 4:30pm both days.

You must attend both days in full.

The challenge

Every year more people die by suicide than from all of the several armed conflicts around the world and, in many places, about the same or more than those dying in traffic accidents. For every suicide, there may be up to 100 times more who are injured by non-fatal suicidal behaviors. In any year, as many as 6% of the population have serious thoughts of suicide.

How can further deaths and injuries be prevented? How can we support people to choose life when something prevents them from seeing a way forward?

The opportunity

Most people considering suicide share their distress and their intent. Training can help us see and respond to these invitations to help. It can give you the confidence to ask about suicide if you are concerned about someone’s safety. It can provide you with the tools to help prevent the immediate risk of suicide.

The workshop

ASIST is a two full days workshop that provides practical training for caregivers seeking to prevent the immediate risk of suicide. Participants often include:

•  people concerned about family, friends •  natural helpers and advisers

•  emergency service workers                              •  counselors, teachers and ministers

•  mental health practitioners                               •  workers in health, welfare or justice

•  community volunteers

Working mostly in small groups of one trainer to no more than 15 participants, ASIST uses many different teaching processes to create a practice-oriented and interactive learning experience.

The outcome

The emphasis of the ASIST workshop is on suicide first aid, on helping a person at risk stay safe and seeks further help. Attendance at the full two days is essential. Learn how to:

• recognize invitations for help                             • reach out and offer support

• review the risk of suicide                                   • apply a suicide intervention model

• link people with community resources

Evaluations have shown that the workshop increases caregivers’ knowledge and confidence to respond to a person at risk of suicide, that intervention skills are retained over time and that they are put to use to save lives.

ASIST: A LivingWorks program

LivingWorks has been helping communities become suicide-safer since 1983. LivingWorks’ programs are an important part of national and regional prevention strategies worldwide. Integrated and coordinated, LivingWorks’ programs help communities develop suicide-safer attitudes and practices. They are interactive, easy to learn and practical.

Currently, there are over 3,500 ASIST trainers around the world. Over 750,000 people have taken ASIST. For more information about ASIST, please visit the web at www.livingworks.net to find a certified trainer in your area.