Printer-friendly versionReport on the ‘Touched by Suicide’ service.
East Dunbartonshire’s National Suicide Prevention Week 2009.
Back Ground.
Two years ago East Dunbartonshire held our first remembrance service for people who have been affected by the loss of someone they care for through Suicide. This service was held at St. Mary’s Church in Kirkintilloch and was led by the Rev. Mark Johnston. This service was strongly supported and attended by Voluntary sector organisation staff and volunteers. A small number of people from the general population attended the service, due to this seeming low level of interest, it was decided not to run the service in 2008, however during the National suicide prevention week in 2008 we received several enquiries for the service from the general public, Thus the service has been re-activated for the National Suicide Prevention Week in 2009.
Process.
Discussions began 7 weeks prior to the Service. To ensure the service is open and accessible to a maximum number of East Dunbartonshire residents, it has been decided that each year we should rotate the service to a different venue within East Dunbartonshire, thus increasing potential coverage and linkages to different pockets of population. We approached Woodhill Evangelical Church in Bishopbriggs, who ED Chooselife have developed strong links with due to using Woodhill as a training venue for our SafeTALK sessions. In addition Woodhill have a strong out reach community focus, and we were delighted when they agreed to accommodate us with our service request. Following this the date for the service was agreed and preparatory discussions began between Reverend Alan Donald and the East Dunbartonshire Chooselife coordinator, and then ongoing meetings between the people centrally involved in developing the service format and focus. The steering group comprised of: The Chooselife co-ordinator who worked with a real power house of idea generators; Dolores Webb (our Chooselife Volunteer) & Ruth Box (of Woodhill Evangelical Church), we were also joined by two Catholic Sisters Laura and Margaret & supported from a distance by Trish (Cruse Strathkelvin).
The over arching theme ‘Seasons of Growth’ was agreed upon, the seasons echoing the often unwanted bereavement journey that follows a suicide. Travelling from a place of great pain, isolation and desolation and moving towards a place of acceptance, new growth and new strength. From winter through spring, summer and finally to autumn and the harvesting of new growth and learning from this painful journey.
Seasons of Growth also echo’s current work within East Dunbartonshire schools, that supports pupils within small peer group settings, who have experienced and are struggling with the aftermath caused by any form of significant LOSS.
The CL co-ordinator wanted to ensure that the service was accessible and appropriate for all within East Dunbartonshire, including our Black and Minority Ethnic communities. Therefore we extended our invitation to participate in the service to faith leaders representing Black & Minority Ethnic Groups ie Islam, Hindu and Sikh faiths, and were delighted to know that our invitations had been willingly accepted by representatives from these major faith groups. They agreed to read a relevant prayer in its original language/form and then translate into English. This worked very well, and though as it turned out there were no members of the public from BME communities it was still worthwhile. These new link are very positive for future engagement with the BME communities.
Following on from the service, these links to the BME communities are being further developed with regards to Suicide Prevention awareness raising, for example the Hindu community appear very interested in receiving the SafeTALK training and possibly ASIST. The Islamic representative has invited our selves to a conference later this year that is being held within East Dunbartonshire and the Sikh representative was also keen to further build on the links established.
We also needed to ensure that people who hold no religion or faith, did not feel excluded or alienated from the service, therefore some sections of the service had a non faith focus, such as the poem, the remembrance activity and popular music.
Publicity & Promotion
Following early email distribution to ‘diary block’ the date and time of the service into peoples diaries. We began the process of image selection. Our objective was to get an image which was strong and yet uplifting, and would be easily recognisable for future services. We selected an image that had white daisies set on a background of grass and blue sky, quite a simple yet powerful image. We have used the image throughout all publications and printed material for the service and so believe have established a memorable common link.
Service promoting Posters and leaflets were distributed widely throughout East Dunbartonshire, (as well as the National Suicide Prevention Week awareness raising posters). Initial focus was given to Libraries, Churches, GP medical practices and PCMHT & the Larkfield. Another wide distribution route was through CVS’s quarterly newsletter sent out to 150 member organisations, all community halls and councillors…….etc. (For further information on the precise distribution please go to the separate sheet which details this).
We had also attempted to get information onto the ED CVS and National Chooselife Web sites, however these routes proved unsuccessful.
Local Media is obviously a direct way of connecting with a much larger proportion of East Dunbartonshire’s population and so EDC PR dept were contacted 4 weeks prior to the event and 3 weeks prior to the submission deadline for the Kirkintilloch Herald & Milngavie Herald. Concerns were raised regarding the previous publicity article that went in after the National Suicide Prevention week and after the service date. This was obviously counter productive and completely missed a huge opportunity to inform the public. Assurances were given that this would not be repeated. However despite all of this preparatory work and long lead time given, the deadline for the preferred Herald edition (which would have given one weeks notice) was missed. When the article was printed, the following week (giving just one days notice) the Herald editor had omitted the majority of the content and had even cut out any mention of the word SUICIDE. This completely went against the central message of the article and also the National message, of talking honestly and openly about suicide, to reduce the stigmas and taboos and therefore enabling people to seek help earlier. Therefore there was no effective publicity about the service within the local Media. It is not clear why the article was so drastically clipped, whether limited space, or following societies stigmas and taboos……?
Following on from this, consideration must be given for discussions with EDC PR and the Local Herald editors to raise their awareness around the work that is being carried out around suicide prevention both locally and Nationally, the media have a crucial role within this to raise awareness of the reality of suicide within our communities and the value of talking directly about suicide and thereby move closer to reducing the stigmas and taboos that surround suicide.
‘Take Away’ Bag.
The idea of a memento bag was suggested for people to take home with them. This contained several national helpline wallet cards, a Cruse leaflet and a Breathing Space pen. In addition we used the poster image to create a bookmark with the Serenity prayer and some words of hope, to mark the service, with helpline numbers on the reverse. Again tying in the Season’s of Growth theme, we inquired of Caulders Garden centre (Kirkintilloch) whether they were in a position to kindly donated some ‘wild flower’ seed packets, which they gladly did……The purpose behind this was to provide people with a ‘follow on’ activity they could do whenever was appropriate or significant for themselves and to choose a suitable location to sow these wild flower seeds……Seeds which can grow in places of stark desolation then transform these wildernesses into places of new colour and strength. On the reverse of the seed packs we stuck the poster image with helpline and Chooselife contact details on.
The bags were created by Julie Leonard (EDAMH) and the CL co-ordinator.
Costings.
The expenses for the service included the printing of Posters, Leaflets, Bookmarks, Order of Service and the helpline contact stickers (these were printed locally). The refreshments were provided by Woodhill Evangelical Church at minimal costs and finally the material for the remembrance activity and ‘take away’ bags. Although I have not yet received final invoices the projected total cost will be about £450.
The Service.
A great deal of thought, consideration and preparation was put into the order of service from those directly involved, however we also invited contributions and suggestions from others, which we included, this in turn led to further re drafts being made.
Following the normal last minute technical hitches, the services went very well with a varied mixture of popular music, hymns, readings from the bible, poetry, the ‘Seasons of Life’ - power point, multi Faith prayers (and translation) and a group remembrance activity. The Reverend shared his experience of a close loss through suicide and briefly talked about how this had impacted upon himself. By doing this he was working hard to dispel the taboo’s and stigma’s historically connecting Christianity and other faiths perspectives, that suicide is a sin against God and therefore not acceptable nor understandable. This sharing and acceptance was very powerful for people, particularly those holding a (Christian) Faith.
The remembrance activity was focused on ‘Leaves’ signifying each person we have lost through suicide, the shedding of a life, as a tree sheds its leaves. People were given the option to write the name of their loved one on a leaf and to either attach each leaf to the tree at the front or to take their leaf home with them. This was very powerful, with many people coming forward, some with several leaves.
Over 30 people attended the service which is a good turnout for something many people find so difficult to acknowledge both privately and publicly.
Attendance and support during and after the service.
Invites and requests for people to be on hand to offer emotional support were circulated widely through statutory and voluntary sector organisations prominent within East Dunbartonshire and other National organisations. On the day support was provided by staff from EDAMH (East Dunbartonshire Association of mental Health) & Cruse (Strathkelvin Bereavement service) our local voluntary counselling organisations, Breathing Space & the Samaritans our National helplines also offered their support.
Also present was a team member of the CAT (Community Addiction Team) and ARC (Addiction Recovery centre).
Feedback.
Feedback from the day was very positive, with praise for the; thoughtfulness of the service content, the information / resources available and ‘take away’ bag available. Everyone stayed on for the refreshments and took up the opportunity to meet others who had lost loved ones through suicide. People also commented on the multi faith aspects to the service……that for some this appeared to make being at the service easier…….because of their battle between their deep loss through suicide yet also their religious faith and the concept of ‘Gods Will’ and that the multi faith representation appeared to dilute or ease these battles.
Following the service the Chooselife Coordinator received several emails of thanks. Indeed we also received a letter requesting a prayer for a friend lost through suicide, from someone who was unable to attend the service.
Several people who attended added their contact details to receive direct information for next years service.
Considerations for Future Services.
Anecdotally there certainly appears to be a growing appetite for this service to become an annual event within East Dunbartonshire, growing from strength to strength, as indeed it is within Edinburgh. There are both benefits and drawbacks from rotating the service to a different location within East Dunbartonshire each year, however the Chooselife coordinator believes that the benefits of; fresh approaches and perspectives, increased access to different pockets of population (which will be directly and indirectly connected by association through the different faith venues for each year), we will be increasingly building on our central hub of people who generate ideas and to share the work load tasks, make rotating a workable option.
Printing and distribution of the posters and leaflets needs to be undertaken earlier, with distribution at least four weeks prior to the service, giving maximum opportunity for the widest population to spot the posters. Also larger poster (size A3) rather than the A4 size need to be considered.
Begin to build a better working relation and awareness with both EDC PR team and the editors at the Kirkintilloch Herald and Milngavie Herald, therefore leading to a greater likelihood for a promoting article to be included more fully and in advance of the service. We will also consider a local ‘media Volunteer’ with a personal perspective and close experience of suicide. The Chooselife coordinator believes an article like this will be a strong real life feature and attractive to editors.
The service has now been held both in the evening and during a weekday afternoon, both appeared to work well, however it needs to be decide which is the preferred time slot.
Continue to develop links with the central steering group for church Ministers within East Dunbartonshire for more effective promotion of the service and also to encourage the offering of new venues for future services and further joint working.
Continue to build on the contacts made within the BME communities, for Suicide prevention awareness raising. Ensure early meetings with faith leaders to ascertain Faith/individuals perspective on suicide prevention and encourage a current Chooselife focused approach.
It would be beneficial if we ensure a separate budget is set aside for all of next years suicide prevention week activities, including the service, this will allow us to accommodate other possible promotional activities.
For further details please contact Helen Moore, East Dunbartonshire’s Choose Life Coordinator at:
ED CVS,
Tel. 0141-578 0291.
‘SUICIDE IS EVERYONES BUSINESS’
‘SUICIDE. DON’T HIDE IT. TALK ABOUT IT’.