DECOLONIZING INTERVENTIONS

FAST - Serving the First Nations of Gitxsan, Nisga'a, Wet'suweten, and Tsimshian 

 

Mission Statement:

"Embracing life through suicide awareness and community empowerment"

 

FAST members already have and/or will receive training in suicide awareness, suicide intervention, grief & loss, community mobilization, crisis response, self-care, critical incident stress management, trauma training, and debriefing. As they progress, more training may be identified and implemented. 

 

Training Communities: FAST members will train communities who are ready to receive the training. In so doing, empowering the communities in suicide awareness, suicide intervention plus all other training already received by the FAST members. 

 

Crisis Response: FAST can also respond to a crisis in a community after a crisis has happened to help stabilize, support and/or find resources required to ensure assistance for anyone who has been affected by the crisis. 

 

MYTHS ABOUT SUICIDE

• "It can't happen to my child."

• Talking about suicide intent will lead to suicide.

• Suicide attempt is a manipulative behaviour and therefore should be punished.

• Suicide occurs only in lower socio-economic groups.

• Suicides come out of the blue with little or no warning.

• Teenagers will "learn" from their "mistakes" and they won't try again.

• Depression and other mental disorders to not occur in young people.

 

FACTS ABOUT SUICIDE

• Suicide rate in young people is increasing.

• Suicide is uncommon in children under the age of 10.

• There are many more attempted suicides than completed suicides.

• Between 60-80% of youth have sought help within the previous month before the suicide.

• There is an increased risk if the youth has a previous history of attempted suicide.

• Many completed suicides are well planned.

 

Reference:

(n.d) Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/a/nvha.ca/main/suicide-attempts-what-do-i-do-how-can-i-help-/fast---first-nation-action-support-team