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Join us online as we continue to learn and discuss how communities can design and participate in research that helps us understand what programs, services and resources are needed to help those contemplating and grieving from suicide.
When you think of research do surveys, interviews, probability, and hypotheses come to mind? Do numbers and statistics make you run for the hills? This discussion will help us understand other ways of producing knowledge beyond quantitative research approaches. Casey will share with us how she has used participatory visual research methods to explore issues including gender, sexuality, teacher education, and belonging and identity.
Andrew will share his experiences of partnering with the Canadian Mental Health Association-Newfoundland and Labrador and Memorial University to study the impact of an eight-week pilot program, “Suicide Prevention Through Mindfulness Training”, in St. John’s in May/June 2021. We will discuss how this evaluation project used a survey and qualitative interview questions to explore the efficacy of mindfulness in reducing the intensity of suicidal thoughts.
How can communities build their own understanding of suicide and what is being done to prevent it? Amanda will share how the Waterloo Region Suicide Prevention Council (WRSPC), a local, grass-roots, community organization with a mission of reducing the impact of suicide in community, participated in community-based research to “‘answer our questions so we can do better work’”.
Often suicide prevention is understood through the lens of risk factors such as previous attempts, substance misuse, presence of a mental illness or past traumas. However, we can also consider preventive factors such as coping skills, strong cultural identity, social connections, supportive family and friends, and a strong sense of community to reduce the likelihood of a person attempting or completing suicide. Taylor will help us understand how the NS Quality of Life data can be used in mental health promotion and building stronger, more resilient communities.