Creggs Rugby has been working hard as a club of late to create awareness about mental health. We are now taking this a step further and we want to help tackle suicide.
For this we need your help.
Creggs RFC member and one of the IRFU Representatives to World Rugby, Su Carty introduced our club sub-committee to Irish suicide prevention movement ‘Ohana ZERO Suicide’.
We are asking all our members to spend just 30-35 minutes to complete a free online suicide prevention training programme. It's brilliant and interactive.
Creggs coach, Mattie Corcoran says: “Studies are showing that the incidence of suicide was significantly higher during periods of lockdown and when there was a ban on training. However, it is sadly a fact that serious mental health issues are always present in society. We believe this is an ideal time to roll this out.”
“The training that Ohana ZERO Suicide provide is like CPR for mental health,” says Su Carty. “Everyone should do it and have the skills that they need should someone in their life need their help at a critical moment”.
This is very enjoyable and highly interactive training that can give you the basic skills that you need to notice when someone is struggling, to maybe ask them the right questions and help them get the support that they need.
She adds: “It runs you through various scenarios with professional advice on seeing the signs, asking the right questions and taking the next step to get the right help in each case.”
Mattie says: “We haven’t been able to train in gyms or on the pitch, missing practically all of our season so it’s a great time to acquire these skills and possibly be there for a team mate, friend, family member or colleague if they seem to be struggling”.
There is no cost for the training, and it can be completed in one sitting or it can be paused and returned to later.
Participants are issued with a digital certificate and clubs are asking their members to post a screenshot of their cert on social media and challenge their friends to complete the training and spread the word.
In just five months, over 50,000 people around the world have completed Ohana ZERO suicides’ 30-minute suicide prevention training. That’s 50,000 people empowered to prevent suicide as we mark Mental Health Awareness Week.
In addition to Creggs Rugby Club members completing the short training, we are also asking other clubs to join us and to nominate further clubs to promote this potentially lifesaving initiative.
You might also please tag Ohana ZERO Suicide so that they can acknowledge your commitment.
We all have the time to do this and we all want to be able to help a someone we know who might be contemplating suicide. All you have to do is visit www.ohana.ie and follow the simple instructions.
As their tagline says “Show you care. Ask the question. Make the call”.
