Do you want to help people in crisis but don’t know where to start?
People who are having thoughts of suicide, or who are worried about a friend or family member, can now “push the button” when they see someone wearing a distinctive orange badge, and ask them for information and support.
Somerset County Council has launched the Orange Button, a community-based suicide awareness scheme. The Orange Button is worn by people in Somerset who have undergone quality assured Mental Health or Suicide Prevention training: whilst they are not able to counsel people, they can help signpost to relevant local services.
The Orange Button signifies that the person displaying it is:
- OK to say/hear the word suicide
- Can listen without judgement
- Can support people with signpostingIf you would like to become an Orange Button holder and join the campaign, you will need to have completed at least three hours of quality assured mental health or suicide prevention training such as Mental Health First Aid, ASIST or Every Life
Matters Suicide Alertness Training. This is to ensure you are equipped with the skills to listen and signpost people.
Cllr Adam Dance elected member for Public Health, Equality and Diversity said: “Suicide can affect anybody and there isn’t a community in Somerset where people haven’t been touched by suicide. This scheme aims to create a community of people trained in suicide awareness that have gained skills to help people. Whether a hospital staff member or owner of a local shop, we can all make a difference in reaching out and offering support to those in need. We know that if someone is having suicidal thoughts, receiving support from someone else can make a big difference.”
If you are interested in finding out more about the Orange Button scheme, or the free public health funded mental health or suicide prevention training courses, please have a look at Orange Button – Community awareness scheme – Healthy Somerset.
How it Works
Would you like to become an Orange Button Holder? You will need to have completed; at least three hours of quality assured mental health or suicide prevention training. This is to ensure you are equipped with the skills to listen and signpost people.
The Orange Button Scheme is linked to (but not limited to) any one of the following funded training courses through Somerset Public Health:
- Every Life Matters – Suicide Alertness (Half Day course) – professionals and public
- ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) – professionals
- Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) (2 day – Adult) – professionals
Visit the Public Health Somerset training offer page to find out more about training opportunities in the area. If you have already completed one of the training courses linked to the Orange Button Scheme (within the last 3 years) you are also eligible to apply.
Once you have completed the training you can sign up to be an Orange Button holder here.