CFCC hosts suicide prevention workshop
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - Cape Fear Community College and the Feminist Alliance Club hosted a suicide prevention workshop at Union Station Saturday afternoon.
The North Carolina chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) presented the workshop for about 50 people who wanted to learn more about suicide and how they can prevent it.
The workshop was two parts: More than Sad for Parents and Talk Saves Lives: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention.
Betsy Rhodes is a volunteer for AFSP and she said the first part of the workshop was for parents, who have teenagers and have to “notice the risk factors and understand the risk factors and the warning signs for suicide, and then how to talk to your kid, if you think that they may be at risk, or they may be thinking about suicide.”
The second part of the workshop was for adults to understand how to reach out to anyone, of any age, that they think may be at risk for suicide.
“I am with young people every day,” said Yuna Shin, an instructor and advisor at CFCC. “They are the most vulnerable, and they may feel the most isolated. So, I want to be part of this. I feel that I need to educate myself about what I need to look for.”
Rhodes said they trained people to learn how to be presenters of the suicide prevention workshop so they will be able to teach the workshop in their own communities. If you have a church, youth group, synagogue, school, organization, or a business that wants to learn about suicide prevention, and what you can do to prevent it, just reach out to American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and they will connect you to a local presenter.
“It is a taboo topic. But the more people are aware of the fact that this can be prevented, the more lives will save. So that’s, that’s mainly what I’m hoping for for today and just going forward every day,” Shin explained, “There’s always somebody to talk to you.”
Leila Garriss with AFSP Wilmington Out of the Darkness Walk Committee said events like this are important. Looking ahead, AFSP usually hosts a walk the first Sunday of November. She encourages anyone who wants to volunteer to reach out to the committee online. Their main focus is on connection, support and getting people resources.
If you need help you can text or call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
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