A ground-breaking suicide prevention programme will be delivered in Mayo in the coming months, offering hope to those at risk of taking their own lives.
Run by the HSE’s National Counselling Service (NCS ) in partnership with Suicide or Survive, Eden is an educational programme that also incorporates a therapeutic element and is geared at supporting people to move away from suicide as an option in times of crisis.
The programme has been operating since 2007 and has been externally evaluated by Dublin City University. In 2016, the Eden programme was delivered for the first time outside of the east coast of Ireland as it became available in the west.
Since that time, following ongoing funding from the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention, it has been run on a face-to-face basis and, more recently, online, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Recruitment is now underway for new participants in Mayo. Open to people over the age of 18 years who have attempted or contemplated suicide, Eden provides a safe space where participants can explore their experiences, learn skills to help them monitor and manage their mental health and build a range of supports appropriate to their needs.
This programme runs one morning (three hours ) a week for 26 weeks. A maximum of 16 participants are accepted per programme and it is hoped to run this latest round on both a face-to-face and online basis subject to demand.
Please note this is not an emergency service. Participants can self-refer. Screening and interviews will begin in November 2021 to identify participant needs, including whether they require additional support before commencing the programme. For more information or to obtain an application form, please email: [email protected] or call (091 ) 528030.
For further details on local mental health and suicide prevention initiatives visit the website www.westbewell.ie or follow West Be Well on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
