Creating Hope Together: Year 3 Delivery Plan - 2025-2026

Outcome 2

Our communities have a clear understanding of suicide, risk factors and its prevention, so that people and organisations are more able to respond in helpful and informed ways when they, or others, need support.

Short term outcome: People are better informed about suicide, and able to respond more confidently and appropriately to people who may be suicidal or affected by suicide; particularly focussed on reducing the inequalities that affect suicidal behaviour

Action

4.1 – social movement, campaigns, and anti-stigma

What we’ve done so far

Maintained United to Prevent Suicide (UtPS) digital channels and advertising.

Held consultation events and utilised existing evidence to enhance social movement and determine the direction the movement will develop in.

Developed and implemented a strategic approach to identifying and prioritising suicide prevention campaigns both for the whole population and for groups at higher risk of suicide and in alignment with the priorities of Creating Hope Together.

Worked with partners, including See Me, to facilitate the production of a Suicide Prevention Scotland wide approach to reducing stigma associated with suicide.

Action and milestones 2025/26

Social Movement: Summer/Autumn 2025

• UtPS General Meeting / Conference - bring membership together to define the purpose of United to Prevent Suicide and set strategic direction.
• Action Based Membership Groups - Support organisation of groups and delivery of discrete actions as a pilot model. Assess and establish needs for 2026/27.

Throughout 2025/26

• Membership Development Programme - develop knowledge, skills and capacities of membership to strengthen the movement.
• Review of Infrastructure – review infrastructure (digital, financial, resource and management) and establish plan to improve effectiveness.
• Planning for World Suicide Prevention Week – support the movement to plan and implement activities.

Campaigns:

Spring/Summer 2025

• Launch initial phase of campaign – utilising feedback and performance data to inform future phases.

Summer/Autumn 2025

• Plan and implement second pulse of campaign to align to World Suicide Prevention Week.

Autumn/Winter 2025

• Plan and implement third pulse of campaign during winter months.

Stigma:

Spring/Summer 2025

• Mapping exercise to understand stigma reduction related work across the programme – identify gaps and opportunities.
• Produce framework and recommendations/ actions to reduce stigma.

Indicative budget to support delivery

Summer/Autumn 2025: £50,000

Campaigns- Spring/Summer 2025: £100,000

Stigma- Spring/Autumn 2025: £15,000

Action

4.2 – suicide prevention learning approach

What we’ve done so far

Worked with all Strategic Outcome Leads to design an approach to community led action research (CLAR) to support tests of change work which includes learning needs. Commissioned Scottish Community Development Centre to undertake CLAR work with four organisations covering geographic communities and communities of interest who are at higher risk of suicide.

Developed resources which support delivery of the informed and skilled level Ask, Tell, Respond resources.

Developed the Ask Tell Respond Facilitators’ community network as a platform to inform evaluation of the Ask/Tell/Respond resources.

Continued targeted delivery of learning resources such as Ask, Tell, Respond, safeTALK and Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST).

Began to develop two further educational resources – Inequalities and Mental Health and Assessment of Suicide Risk in Mental Health.

Provided opportunities for trainer and facilitator development across programmes.

Brought the Knowledge and Skills Framework to life by creating seven short videos depicting people in roles/ jobs which contribute to suicide prevention. These highlight the knowledge and skills that help them in these roles.

Action and milestones 2025/26

Summer/Autumn 2025

• Continue to deliver the range of suicide prevention learning resources, and target groups and sectors where there is the greatest opportunity to support those at higher risk of suicide.
• Continue to promote and track uptake and satisfaction of the refreshed Ask, Tell Respond Adult and Children and Young People suite of learning resources including eLearning.
• Using recommendations from the Ask Tell Respond Skilled Facilitator resources evaluation to develop and implement an improvement action plan.
• Finalise and launch the Health Inequalities eLearning module – promotion through Suicide Prevention Scotland networks.

Indicative budget to support delivery

Included in core NHS Education Scotland (NES) and PHS funding

Action

4.3/4.4 Suicide prevention included in Whole school approach to mental health and school curriculum

What we’ve done so far

Continue to work with the Mental Health in Schools Working Group, the Association of Directors of Education (ADES) and Education Scotland to build an understanding of an approach to suicide prevention in education settings based on available evidence.

Supported development of Colleges and Universities network for suicide prevention.

Action and milestones 2025/26

Throughout 2025/26

• Continue engagement with ADES and the Association of Scottish Principal Educational Psychologists (ASPEP) to understand suicide prevention needs of educators, and formulate recommendations for action.
• Publish and disseminate through Suicide Prevention Scotland networks and Education Scotland five practice stories highlighting suicide prevention embedded in the whole school approach.
• Publish and disseminate a podcast to accompany practice stories.
• Remain engaged with the Curriculum Improvement Cycle (CIC) mechanisms for on-going dialogue and co-operation across policy areas to ensure suicide prevention remains an area of focus.
• Work with stakeholders, including the Youth Advisory Group (YAG), to understand and deliver resources that support young people with suicide prevention skills and knowledge.
• Continue to co-deliver the National Network of Colleges and Universities.

Indicative budget to support delivery

Included in funding for Children and Young People delivery lead

Action

4.5 embed suicide prevention in pre-registration training

What we’ve done so far

Undertook mapping of key stakeholders to build understanding of breadth of pre-registration/ undergraduate training for key professions.

Action and milestones 2025/26

Spring/ summer 2025

• Disseminate findings from mapping exercise.
• Identify lead agency and key actions to progress.

Indicative budget to support delivery

Included in funding for NES and CYP delivery lead roles

Action

4.6 – Online portal

What we’ve done so far

Undertook consultation with key stakeholders to design and develop a portal/ website for people affected by suicide and professional groups.

Commissioned design agency to develop based on consultation findings.

Action and milestones 2025/26

Spring / Summer 2025

• Launch the Suicide Prevention Scotland website.
• Monitor and continuously improve performance and ensure content reflects the needs of people at a higher risk of suicide and provides a gateway to relevant information for individuals, families/carers and professionals.
• Develop children & young people and professional/ practitioner pages.
• Manage ongoing hosting, development and promotion.
• Manage service directory and create links between and with suicide prevention service delivery organisations.

Indicative budget to support delivery

£40,410

Action

4.7 Accessible information to communities

What we’ve done so far

Built understanding of need and priority groups.

Action and milestones 2025/26

Summer to winter 2025

• Identify and work with organisations representing communities of population, interest and identity to understand culturally appropriate information/language/ accessibility needs.
• Identify existing and develop new resources where required to meet community needs in particular including communities impacted by discrimination, stigma, inequality and the wider social determinants of suicide.
• Identify channels/formats to distribute information so that it is visible and accessible giving consideration to the needs of groups impacted by discrimination, stigma, inequality and wider social determinants of suicide. The new online portal as an example will reflect the needs of people at a higher risk of suicide and provide a gateway to relevant information for individuals, families/carers and professionals.

Indicative budget to support delivery

£40,000

Short term outcome: People are more confident and able to seek help for themselves or others who may be suicidal/at higher suicidal risk or affected by suicide and are able to do so without experiencing stigma; particularly focussed on reducing the inequalities, that affect suicidal behaviour.

Action

4.8 – improve understanding of help-seeking and help giving

What we’ve done so far

Undertaken a rapid review of help seeking and help giving through AAG.

Reviewed evidence from West Highland and Skye project and consultation on help seeking.

Engaged with LLEP and YAG to gather their views.

Actions and milestones 2025/26

Summer/Autumn 2025

• Hold events to disseminate evidence and learning to date and gather reflections and experiences from service delivery organisations.

Autumn/Winter 2025

• Produce and disseminate learning paper and identify opportunities in delivery of this action plan to embed this learning into practice.
• Identify potential research that could be undertaken to fill gaps in the understanding of help seeking and help giving.

Indicative budget to support delivery

£6900