SEPT-DEC 2023 ISSUE - Flipbook - Page 32
Education Trust’s Pioneering
Programme Provides Life Saving
Suicide Awareness Training
Callum’s former Head Teacher, Matt
Coleman, Director of School
Improvement at the Trust contacted
Northamptonshire suicide prevention
charity, Kelly’s Heroes to collaborate
on creating a package of specialised
support available to all eight schools
in the Trust, which he hopes will also
be utilised by schools throughout the
county and nationwide.
Northamptonshire education leaders
have introduced a pioneering
programme focused on suicide
awareness in a bid to help save lives,
protect pupils and support staff.
As this month marks World Suicide
Prevention Day on September 10th,
Nene Education Trust is calling for
schools and education establishments
across the county and country to
follow its initiative to highlight how
help and support is available for students and staff suffering mental health
issues.
The ground-breaking approach
adopted by the Trust, which has seen
more than 400 teachers and Trust staff
undergo specialist suicide awareness
training, was implemented following
the death by suicide of Manor School
student Callum Woodcroft in 2022.
Chris Hill, CEO of Nene Education Trust,
added: “I wanted to express my huge
thanks to everyone involved in our
training day which was emotional and
focused on such important messages.”
At the Trust’s recent annual training
day Sherry Adams, CEO of Kelly’s
Heroes and the charity’s team of
specialists delivered the training
session entitled Suicide Awareness –
Creating A Suicide Safe Community.
Following Callum’s death Matt Coleman
explained he was determined to help
make a difference to support students
and staff. He said: “I was driven to
make some positive change out of
something so tragic that impacted
so many.
“We have worked with Sherry and the
team at Kelly’s Heroes to create a
package of support that is available to
all schools in the county and beyond.
The charity’s team of specialists visited
the Trust sites to shine a spotlight on
this very emotive and often taboo
subject, its potential causes, and
effects.”
As it is estimated there are more than
700,000 suicides every year worldwide,
Sherry Adams welcomed the
opportunity for the charity to
collaborate with schools and
businesses to highlight how it is
okay to talk about suicide.
As part of the specially commissioned
training provided to the Trust teams,
the charity covered: Prevention,
Intervention and Postvention and
highlighted the detrimental influence
of social media has on those struggling
with their mental health. Data also
showed suicides increase
exponentially following the report of
a life lost to suicide.
The training covered common
warning flags and specific risk factors –
influences that may lead to someone to
have suicidal thoughts.
Nene Education Trust is a
multi-academy trust comprising
• Newton Road School in Rushden,
•Windmill Primary in Raunds,
• Stanwick Primary, Raunds Park Infants,
St. Peter’s CE Academy, Woodford CE
Primary,
• Redwell Primary in Wellingborough
and Manor School in Raunds.
• For further information visit
https://neneeducationtrust.org.uk/
• For help or information contact
https://www.kellys-heroes.co.uk/