School Workshops
To learn more about our Choices2: Reaching Out school program, or to book a school workshop, please contact tyoung@crisiscentre.bc.ca
Suicide Awareness and Response Workshop
- Grades 8-12 (1 class period)
- Realizing that youth suicide is a serious problem
- Understanding that many youth suicides are preventable
- Recognizing the key roles youth play in preventing suicide among their peers
- Featuring our new evidence-based Choices2: Reaching Out classroom video
- Learning key warning signs to watch and listen for
- Knowing how to ask, listen and connect to helping resources
- Boundary setting and self-care for peer helpers
Mindfulness-Based Stress Management Workshop
- Grades 8-12 (1 class period)
- Acknowledging stress is a common experience
- Understanding stress is a physiological reaction to a perceived threat or danger (Fight, Flight, or Freeze response)
- Identifying our physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioural indicators of stress
- Learning mindful awareness principles and techniques to recognize, avoid, and mediate stress
- Identifying effective and ineffective coping strategies to alleviate stress
- Understanding implications of unmanaged stress for overall well being
- Changing perceptions to reduce or eliminate stress
What people are saying about the Choices2: Reaching Out Film and Workshop Package
“Thank you for your presentation. It was very touching and you’re a great person. I am sorry for the loss of your brother. I know that it is very hard and it is amazing how everyday you make a difference in these peoples lives even thought it is very hard being reminded of your brother. I really loved the presentation and I thank you for taking time from your life to improve the lives of teenagers with problems.”
- Grade 10 Student
“There is often a substantial gap in educational suicide prevention programmes between knowing theoretically what one should do when a peer is suicidal and actually being able to respond in a helpful manner. ‘Choices2 – Reaching Out’ video provides a realistic role model of how to simply do and say all the right things. As part of a comprehensive school prevention programme, ‘Choices2 – Reach Out’ reinforces all the essential messages. It should both help young people become better equipped to react to a suicidal peer and help suicidal youths better understand that seeking help is not as difficult as they may think.”
- Brian L. Mishara, Ph.D., President, International Association for Suicide Prevention, Professor of Psychology and Director of the Centre for Research and Intervention on Suicide and Euthanasia, University of Quebec at Montreal
“Thanks for doing this. I think that maybe if my sister’s friends had seen this, she would still be alive.”
- Grade 9 student
If the presentation is about getting friends to seek help, it was most effective. We had 8 drop-ins from kids who were directly affected by the presentations and we referred three to Child & Adolescent Response Team.
- High school counsellor
“Choices2 Reaching Out is one of a select few videos recommended by the Video Review Committee of the American Association of Suicidology on the basis of its clear and well presented suicide prevention messages, its avoidance of stigmatization and/or glamorization of suicidal behaviors, and its modeling of help-seeking skills. School suicide prevention curricula programs will benefit from incorporating Choices2 Reaching Out into their design.”
Lanny Berman, Ph.D., Executive Director, American Association of Suicidology