World Suicide Prevention Day: what we're doing

Sunday 10 September is World Suicide Prevention Day, a day when organisations campaign to raise awareness of suicide prevention.

As part of the University's Suicide Prevention and Response Plan, we want students and staff to feel empowered to tackle the stigma and myths surrounding suicide, and to become suicide prevention advocates, so that everyone can be supported and create a suicide-safer community.

Following the National Student Survey (NSS) which closed in April 2023, we donated £1 per completed survey to our chosen charity for this year: PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide. The total money raised was over £3,000 and will go towards their brilliant work preventing young suicide, and the promotion of positive emotional health and wellbeing in young people.

Help if you're supporting someone who feels suicidal

Let's Talk About Suicide Essex is a new website developed as part of the #TalkSuicideEssex campaign. It aims to reduce the stigma of talking about suicide and raise awareness of suicide prevention. Free, online suicide prevention training has also been created for university students by the Zero Suicide Alliance. We strongly encourage all University of Essex students to take part so you have the skills and confidence to have a potentially life-saving conversation.

Shining a Light on Suicide offers fantastic resources on how you can support someone who may be feeling suicidal and also seek support for your own wellbeing.

The Samaritans campaign for World Suicide Prevention Day provides guidance for starting a conversation with someone that you might be worried about, and highlights the importance of language and becoming a better listener.

Stay Alive is an app that can be downloaded to your phone or desktop to help in moments of crisis. It allows someone feeling suicidal to access telephone numbers for crisis support services, to create a LifeBox full of images and videos that are important to them, and to develop a safety plan.

Help if you feel suicidal

Feelings of suicide are normal, but it’s important that you know there are people who can help and support you.

If you are struggling with your own feelings of suicide, you can call Samaritans on 116 123 to talk and get help. PAPYRUS is also available on 0800 068 4141, and they offer fantastic support to prevent suicide.

Our Wellbeing Drop-in Service at the University is here for you too. We are located on the first floor of the Student Silberrad Centre, open from Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm. Alternatively, you can email wellbeing@essex.ac.uk to chat with a member of the Student Wellbeing and Inclusivity Service (SWIS). Please do come and speak with us.

During evenings and weekends, you can contact the 24-hour Student Wellbeing Support Line on 0800 970 5020. You can also access our SilverCloud and Togetherall online support programmes at any time.