This morning, Facebook Canada, along with Kids Help Phone introduced Help A Friend In Need, a new resource that provides tips to help youth ages 15 to 20 identify potential warning signs of suicide on online activity. According to Facebook, 7.5 percent of young people who have contacted Kids Help Phone have spoken about suicide as the primary reason for their call.
In recognition of World Suicide Prevention Day, the Help A Friend In Need guide will be distributed nationally (English and French) through the Facebook Family Safety Centre and Kids Help Phone website.
“We created Help A Friend In Need with Kids Help Phone, because we want to make sure that friends and family have the resources to help identify when someone is distressed and know what steps to take, particularly in extreme cases where someone’s life might be in danger. Studies have shown that connectedness is crucial to people who may be at risk of suicide – reaching out and offering people support can be a life-saving act,” said Jordan Banks, Managing Director, Facebook Canada.
The guide has many useful tips on what to watch and to help kids as well as their friends. The clean and simple layout help kids navigate the warning signs. An example of what kids should watch for is “Be aware of status updates, posts, messages, photos or videos that include themes like talking about feeling alone, hopeless, isolated, useless or being a burden to others.”
The guide also offers warning sings that someone may need urgent help or may be at risk of suicide and how to handle the situation, but at the same time, are reminded to know their own personal limits and not put themselves in physical danger.
Kids Help Phone is a charity that provides anonymous and confidential professional counselling to young people in Canada. The guide was originally created in partnership with The Jed Foundation and The Clinton Foundation.
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