Suicide intervention skills promoted

More than 100 Nunavummiut are returning to their home communities this week equipped with suicide intervention training, having taken a workshop in "suicide first aid" in Iqaluit over the weekend.

Teachers, Nunavut government officials and at least one youth took the weekend workshop, which was organized by the territorial government and run by LivingWorks Education, a suicide prevention and intervention training company based in Calgary.

"I feel kind of good about it. I know that I can actually help people," said delegate Thomas Ford Rogers, 16, who drew special praise for taking the workshop because of his age.

Those who took the workshop learned a range of skills, such as how to identify people at risk of committing suicide, how to talk to people at risk, and how to develop safety plans to connect people with necessary resources.

Instructors say talking about suicide remains a tough task for many people, but statistics show that Nunavut's suicide rate is 10 times higher than the national average, with youth most at risk.

Ford Rogers said he's not yet comfortable broaching the topic of suicide outside his circle of friends, but he said talking about suicide is the most important thing one can do to help those who are thinking about it.

Confidence boost

"Like, you have to say, 'Are you thinking about suicide?' Don't say, 'Are you thinking of hurting yourself?' Those are two totally different things," he said.

Those who took the course said it boosted their confidence and understanding of suicide as an issue, which many admitted they've had to deal with on a regular basis.

"Everybody should take [this course] because it's not about you, it's about helping somebody else," said Betty Brewster, who works in the territorial Justice Department and took the weekend workshop.

"I was not too comfortable talking about it, either, but I am very comfortable now and I feel that I could help," she added.

Government organizers behind the weekend workshop say they are translating the LivingWorks program into the Inuktitut language. As well, they have trained two people in Iqaluit to teach an adapted version of the program in the coming months.