Attendees
Involve experts
When thinking about your attendees and their safety, some things to consider are:
As an organiser, it is important for everyone’s safety that you either inform or involve experts from your community who are trained and available to assist. Trusted members of the community, such as kaumātua, elders, cultural leaders or ministers, could also help with organising the event and be there to offer support on the day. If your event involves a school community, please make contact with the school so they can be aware of the effect this may have on their tauira/students. We recommend you contact or meet key people prior to the event – for example, the local suicide prevention coordinator, pre- and postvention groups or other mental health professionals. These local people may be able to help with planning your event and tailoring the right messages.
• Is the audience there to learn (e.g. professionals wanting to upskill), to talk about their own experiences or simply to kōrero as a community? • How will you provide support for those present? Will you have: › Counsellors on site and/or pamphlets or printed resources? › Information about local and national mental health services and helplines? Ensure local providers and numbers are tailored to your audience. › Easily identifiable support people (e.g. wearing hi-vis vests)? › A quiet zone for people to have time-out or a place for them to connect with support people? • If your event is online, you should always provide links to appropriate services and helplines across all your material and communications with attendees.
Who in your community will you inform or involve? (e.g. suicide prevention coordinator/counsellors/a trusted/respected community elder).
What supports will you put in place to ensure the safety of your audience? (e.g. Mental Health Foundation brochures/three local counsellors stationed around the room).
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Your guide to planning a safe suicide prevention event
Your guide to planning a safe suicide prevention event
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