Mental Health Awareness Week 12-18 May 2025

The focus for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is community. Suicide prevention in the community isn’t just about crisis intervention, we can all help prevent suicide in the areas where we live and work.

Here’s some ideas of how you could connect with your community this week.

• Check in on people close to you, especially if they seem lonely or you have noticed a change in behaviour. Ask someone how they are more than once, put a note through someone’s door, offer to go out for a cup of tea, say hello to a neighbour, send that text you’ve been meaning to send.
• Tell your story. If you’ve gone through a suicidal crisis and come through, considering letting people know about your personal experience – whether this is online, at work, to friends. It could inspire someone else to ask for help, and it lets people know they are not alone.
• Find out about what services are available in your area for people that are suicidal – there are some amazing charities working in suicide prevention, and you never know when you might need to signpost someone to the right support for them.
• Share information in your communities and networks. Many people don’t seek support because they don’t know what is available. Share helplines, crisis services, and information about community services such as James’ Place to ensure people have can access help if they need it.
• Take the free online suicide awareness training from the Zero Suicide Alliance. This short online training course shares ideas for how you can approach a potentially life-saving conversation with someone you’re worried about .
• Be kind. Encouraging kindness, compassion and inclusivity in our communities can help people feel more connected and understood and foster a sense of belonging. No one should feel like they have to face their struggles alone.