The only acceptable target for suicide is Zero.

The only acceptable target for suicide is Zero.

SUICIDE DOWN TO ZERO

SUICIDE DOWN TO ZERO WAS SET UP IN APRIL 2014 AS AN INDEPENDENT ORGANISATION TO CAMPAIGN FOR AN END TO SUICIDE IN THE DOWN DISTRICT BUT HAVE SPREAD OUT ACROSS NORTHERN IRELAND.

We became a recognized charity in May 2015. We have a Board made up of 9 people (survivors, suicide attempt survivors, suicide prevention activists and those with a professional background in helping) bringing together a wealth of knowledge, skills & experience alongside specific beliefs about suicide and its prevention.

We believe that the only acceptable target for suicide deaths is zero. Initially we campaigned at Department of Health and senior Public Health Agency levels but reverted to a “ground up” community development approach – “think big, start small & scale fast.

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Copies of ‘We need to talk about suicide’ distributed
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People trained in safeTALK to be more alert to possibility of suicide
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People trained in ASIST to be suicide first-aiders

Our Goal

We aim to enable a paradigm shift to occur in how suicide is viewed. It is acknowledged worldwide as a public health phenomenon that is preventable. We want suicide to be viewed here as almost entirely preventable not inevitable. We will collaborate with other like – minded groups and encourage the trial of new and innovative approaches and those which have proved successful elsewhere.

ELIMINATE SUICIDE IN NORTHERN IRELAND

Everyone can make a contribution to saving lives from suicide: raising awareness, being trained in suicide first-aid, or helping those who have survived a suicide attempt or helping a family who is suffering the loss of a loved one to suicide. We aim to bring those contributions together coherently.

WHY OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS THIS APPROACH

Every year in Newry Mourne & Down area around twenty five people die by suicide. Research from the US indicates that 135 people are affected by a single suicide death. This means that 3,375 people are affected by suicide every year in our area. The economic cost of suicide was estimated in 2019 to be £1.33million per death which equates to a loss to our economy in Newry Mourne and Down of £33.25m. We believe that there can never be an ‘acceptable level’ of suicides.
The only acceptable target for suicide deaths is zero.

THE HOW OF SUICIDE DOWN TO ZERO

We believe that every organization large or small needs a systematic approach to eliminating suicide. We have developed a seven-element framework for achieving this goal. The 7 elements are: Leadership & Governance; Mental Health & Wellbeing promotion; Suicide Awareness and Prevention; Training; Suicide Intervention and ongoing community support; (Postvention) – Healing after Suicide and Evaluation.

These elements can be applied to any organization and we are currently assisting schools (Whole School Approach) sports clubs ( Whole Club Approach) workplaces (Whole Organization Approach) and communities (Whole Community Approach).in their efforts to make their entities suicide safer and contribute to bring suicide down to zero.

To find out more, please contact our Development Worker; Catherine McKeown    devworker@sdz.co.uk    07359 657236

Pause and SDZ

Pause and Suicide Down to Zero are working together to help people who are living with thoughts of suicide. Together, we want every person to know that they matter, that support is available, and that reaching out can be the first step toward staying alive.

Pause offers a quiet online space to stop, breathe, listen, and reflect. SDZ works in the community through awareness, training, support, and postvention. Together, they carry a simple message: reach out, stay connected, and live.

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Everyone can contribute to eliminating suicide in our area. You can learn more about suicide by acquiring a copy of our ‘We need to talk about…. suicide’ booklet or attending one of the 1 hour awareness sessions based on the booklet. You can take the 3 & 1/2 hour safeTALK training and become more alert to the possibility of suicide. You could attend the 2 day ASIST training and become a suicide first-aider.

Volunteer

There are plenty of opportunities to volunteer and play your part at eradicating suicide in our area. We would be very grateful to receive any time and help you can provide particularly with the events we are running throughout the area. For more information please contact info@sdz.co.uk.

DONATE NOW

You can help us in our work by making a donation.

To do so simply go to localgiving.org/sdz0000.