Helping others
How you can make a difference in the community
Volunteers are at the heart of suicide prevention.
Giving your time to help raise awareness or to reach out to people in need of support can make a big difference in your community.
If you want to help people affected by suicide, there are many ways that you can do so.
Many people affected by suicide themselves, when the time is right, would also like an opportunity to help make a difference for others.
Be sure to build and use your own support networks so that you can be supported along this journey.
Suicide prevention
The stigma attached to suicide prevents thousands of people each year from reaching out for help and support. You can help to change this. Raising awareness of the importance of looking out for others and reaching out for help at an early stage is a way to really help.
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Providing support directly for a person who is experiencing suicidal thoughts can be very challenging, so you should always seek help if you feel out of your depth. On the other hand, it can be very rewarding. Helping somebody through difficult times is a worthwhile accomplishment.
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Being open-minded, able to listen and patient is all you need to start helping others.
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Bereavement by suicide
Around 6,500 people die by suicide each year across the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, leaving those closest to that person in need of care, guidance and support. Research also suggests that people who have lost a loved one to suicide are then more likely to experience suicidal thoughts.
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Supporting somebody who has been bereaved by suicide is a complex situation. You may not know where to start, or if you can help that person at all.
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Listening to their thoughts and trying to understand what they’re going through can make a big difference to their journey – no one should suffer alone.
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It's not all talk
Suicide prevention groups often have volunteers in various roles, not just supporting through phone calls or listening support. Marketing, Fundraising, Administration and even IT support are all required to help these organisations support people in need.
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Visit the resources below to discover volunteering opportunities in the Dudley Borough.
Discover volunteer opportunities
Volopps
Discover volunteering opportunities across the Dudley Borough and beyond.
Citizens Advice Dudley & Wolverhampton
Volunteer with Citizen's Advice and help provide independent, confidential and impartial advice on big issues affecting people’s lives.
Black Country Mental Health
Find out more about the different volunteer opportunities Black Country Mental Health offers.
Attention needs to be given to
Support available to people who are at risk of suicide and for anyone who is worried about a person who is at risk of suicide. Information needs to be accessible, high quality and ongoing.​
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​Support for people bereaved by suicide, the death of a loved one is never easy to experience, whether it comes without warning or after a long struggle with illness. The grief experienced is often described as ‘complicated grief’. The substantial stigma of a suicide bereavement can prevent people from accessing support.
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​Building resilience in children from a young age as this enables children to develop the mechanisms and the ability to adapt well in adversity, trauma, tragedy and significant sources of stress.