[Article] NI - Rail campaign aims to prevent suicides

[Colm Moore]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0216/suicide.html

Rail campaign aims to prevent suicides
Updated: 12:57, Thursday, 16 February 2012

A suicide prevention campaign has been launched by NI train operator Translink and the Samaritans.

The Samaritans and Northern Ireland train operator Translink have launched a campaign to prevent suicides on the rail network.

In the past three years there have been five suicides on the Translink network and 20 other people have attempted to take their own lives.

The campaign is being supported by local sporting heroes, including boxer Cathal McMonagle, to re-enforce the message that support is available to anyone in need.

The new partnership also provides support for railway employees who find themselves in sensitive circumstances when dealing with people in distress.

The scheme is modelled on a project run by Network Rail in Britain, which led to an 11% drop in the number of suicides on railways.

The rate of suicide among men in Northern Ireland is the highest in the UK.

[Colm Moore]

More at: http://www.translink.co.uk/samaritan...ansFlashBanner

http://www.translink.co.uk/News/Pres...ner-campaign-/

NI sporting heroes back Translink NI Railways and Samaritans ‘We’re In Your Corner’ campaign
16th February 2012

NI sporting heroes back Translink NI Railways and Samaritans

‘We’re In Your Corner’ campaign

NI sporting heroes back Translink NI Railways and Samaritans

Translink NI Railways and Samaritans have joined forces to launch ‘We’re In Your Corner’; a hard-hitting campaign to promote the charity’s emotional support services and help prevent suicides on the local rail network*.

The new partnership also provides support for Translink employees who find themselves in challenging and highly sensitive circumstances when dealing with someone in distress.

The campaign has secured support from a wide range of local sporting personalities to help reinforce the message that support is available to anyone in need.

In particular, the campaign targets men, who are three times more likely to take their own lives than women, urging them to talk about their problems and consider calling Samaritans’ helpline**.

In addition, a special training programme is now being rolled out across Translink NI Railways. It is modelled on a successful five-year partnership between Samaritans and Network Rail in Great Britain***.

The Translink programme features a range of suicide prevention and post – incident activities including:
• training for rail employees to equip them with the skills and confidence to deal with someone in distress before making a sensitive referral to Samaritans;
• setting-up a regional ‘call out’ service to support people in distress at railway sites; and
• support provision for rail employees and members of the public who have witnessed a fatality.

Speaking at the campaign launch in Belfast Central Station, Translink Group Chief Executive Catherine Mason said:

“Suicide prevention and post incident care are extremely sensitive issues that we want to address in the most effective and responsible ways possible.

“Samaritans provide confidential emotional support services 24/7, working to alleviate emotional distress and promote emotional wellbeing. We recognise the immense value of this new partnership in providing support for both our employees and the general public.

“Our approach includes an eye-catching poster campaign to show that Samaritans can help people find ‘strength’ to get through tough periods in their lives and we are delighted to have the support of many high-profile sporting personalities to help deliver this very important message****.

“For over 50 years, Samaritans have shown that by opening up and speaking to someone, it can help prevent worries and concerns in life from spiralling out of control. We would encourage anyone in emotional distress to contact the Samaritans by calling 08457 90 90 90 and take positive steps towards emotional wellbeing.”

Suzanne Costello, Director of Ireland Samaritans, said: “We know that men remain a high-risk group and we believe that they don’t feel able to talk about their problems. These can spiral out of control, sometimes with tragic consequences. Talking to someone is better than bottling things up and we hope that the poster campaign will prompt more people to seek support.

“We’re pleased to expand our partnership into Northern Ireland by working with Translink, helping Samaritans to achieve our vision that fewer people die by suicide.”

To date, almost 100 Translink rail employees have attended Samaritans training and Translink has now launched a station poster campaign across the rail network to highlight Samaritans support available for anyone in distress.

Author
Published
16/02/2012

[Colm Moore]

http://www.samaritans.org/

Phone us
UK: 08457 90 90 90*
ROI: 1850 60 90 90*
International http://www.befrienders.org/

Email us
jo@samaritans.org

Write to us
Chris, PO Box 9090, Stirling FK8 2SA

Visit us
Find your nearest branch http://www.samaritans.org/talk_to_so...h/ireland.aspx

[dowlingm]

In Toronto's subways (in partnership with Bell, the local eircom equivalent) the payphones on subway platforms now have a blue button which you can press to talk to a counsellor if considering suicide. Once twitter got going the number of suicides and attempts on the system became very obvious and they figured out they would need to Do Something.

[ThomasJ]

I know this is a sensitive issue but shouldn't a similar inititive be launched here?

From RTE

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0216/suicide.html

The Samaritans and Northern Ireland train operator Translink have launched a campaign to prevent suicides on the rail network.

In the past three years there have been five suicides on the Translink network and 20 other people have attempted to take their own lives.
The campaign is being supported by local sporting heroes, including boxer Cathal McMonagle, to re-enforce the message that support is available to anyone in need.

The new partnership also provides support for railway employees who find themselves in sensitive circumstances when dealing with people in distress.
The scheme is modelled on a project run by Network Rail in Britain, which led to an 11% drop in the number of suicides on railways.

The rate of suicide among men in Northern Ireland is the highest in the UK.