Dr Michelle O’Driscoll, University College Cork
A project led by the National Suicide Research Foundation, University College Cork, with support from the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention has show significant progress in advancing a Train-the-Trainer initiative, aimed at embedding suicide prevention education within undergraduate health and social care curricula. The majority of those who die by suicide have had contact with a healthcare professional prior to their death, but there is a lack of training for students to better support patients.
This work has been funded by The National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education through the Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund.
A key milestone was the successful webinar held on Monday, March 10th, which attracted over 200 registrants and 130 live attendees. This session brought together representatives from Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Ireland, over 20 NGOs, and international attendees, reflecting widespread interest in the programme.
The webinar presented findings from the recent multisite interprofessional pilot of the suicide prevention module and launched the Expression of Interest invitation for the upcoming SATLE-funded pilot Train-the-Trainer programme. This training aims to equip educators with the knowledge and skills to sustainably deliver the module to their health and social care students, ensuring long-term integration into curricula.
The two-day training will take place on May 13th and 14th at University College Dublin, providing participants with comprehensive instruction on module delivery and student safety protocols. Attendance will be preceded with engagement with a comprehensive online platform with relevant learning materials. Attendees will also be invited to participate in a pre-post evaluation and follow-up interviews to assess the programme’s effectiveness and inform future iterations.
To guide development and evaluation, a dedicated Steering Group has been established, comprising representatives from HEIs, the Health Service Executive, and students.
With strong sector-wide interest and institutional buy-in, this initiative represents a crucial step in embedding evidence-based suicide prevention training into professional education. The next phase will focus on finalising candidate selection for the programme, delivering the pilot training, and gathering evaluation data to refine and expand the offering
For any inquiries about the programme, please contact the project researchers, Dr Michelle O’Driscoll michelle.odriscoll@ucc and Ms Kerrie Gallagher kgallagher@ucc.ie
The process to sign up to and take part in the Train the Trainer programme.
