10 September is World Suicide Prevention Day. The theme is about changing how suicide is talked about. The practical version of that is narrower than it sounds, and it is learnable in about an hour.
World Suicide Prevention Day has been held on 10 September since 2003, organised by the International Association for Suicide Prevention alongside the World Health Organization. The point of it is one claim, repeated annually because it is still not widely believed: suicide is preventable.
The World Health Organization puts the global figure at more than 700,000 deaths a year.
IASP set a three-year theme for 2024 to 2026: Changing the Narrative on Suicide. The call to action attached to it is Start the Conversation.
Read quickly, that sounds like an instruction to post something. Read properly, it is an instruction to ask a specific person a specific question, out loud, and then stay in the room for the answer.
That is the harder half, and it is the half the awareness campaigns tend to leave undefined. Most people who suspect a friend is in trouble do not stay silent because they do not care. They stay silent because they do not know what sentence to use, and they are afraid the wrong one will make things worse.
The single most common reason people give for not asking is the fear that raising suicide will introduce it. That belief is wrong, and it is the one worth changing this week.
Asking someone directly whether they are thinking about suicide does not increase risk. In most cases it is the first time anyone has given that person permission to say it out loud, and being asked plainly is a relief rather than a shock.
This is what gatekeeper training exists to fix. Not to make you a counsellor, and not to make you responsible for another person's safety. Simply to make sure that when you notice something is wrong, you know the question, and you know where to send them afterwards.
Question. Ask directly. Not "you're not thinking of doing anything stupid, are you", which invites a no. Ask whether they are thinking about suicide.
Persuade. Listen without arguing. Stay long enough to agree that they will accept help. This is a conversation, not a negotiation.
Refer. Connect them to someone qualified. Where you can, make the call together rather than handing over a number.
In India that referral has a specific destination. Tele MANAS answers on 14416, free, at any hour, in multiple languages. KIRAN is 1800-599-0019. Both are run by the Government of India and answered by trained counsellors.
IASP runs a participation campaign, now called Move for Life, which invites people to walk, run or cycle in support. That is worth doing.
The thing with a longer effect is training one person who is regularly around others in difficulty: a warden, a teacher, an HR lead, a coach, a pharmacist. The whole QPR Gatekeeper course takes about an hour.
All fifteen courses are online and self-paced, with a certificate on completion. Login details arrive by email within 24 hours of payment, on working days. Institutions are invoiced directly — ask for a quote.
| Course | Length | Price | Enrol |
|---|---|---|---|
| QPR Gatekeeper TrainingThe core course. Recognise the warning signs of a suicide crisis, ask the question directly, and get someone to help. No clinical background needed. | — | ₹1,000 | Enrol |
| QPR Gatekeeper PlusGatekeeper training plus basic suicide counselling skills, and how to make a best-practice referral to a therapist trained in suicide-specific treatment. | 2 hours | ₹2,000 | Enrol |
| QPR Pro Gatekeeper TrainingA longer gatekeeper course for people who meet distress as part of their work rather than occasionally. | 4 hours | ₹4,000 | Enrol |
| QPR Screening and Referral TrainingHow to screen for suicide risk in conversation rather than on a form, and turn a positive screen into a successful referral. Any setting, any age group. | 3 hours | ₹6,000 | Enrol |
| QPR Pathfinder TrainingBuilds certified suicide care first responders. Identify risk early in a crisis and respond with interventions known to reduce suicidal ideation. | — | ₹20,000 | Enrol |
| QPR Pathfinder Training: Adult and Older Adult EditionThe Pathfinder programme for those working with adults and older adults in suicide intervention roles. | 14 hours | ₹20,000 | Enrol |
| QPR Pathfinder Training Youth EditionThe Pathfinder programme for those working with young people aged 10 to 24. | 14 hours | ₹20,000 | Enrol |
| Suicide Risk Assessment and Management (Pro)For professionals responsible for the care and safety of people at elevated risk, across all settings and ages. | 14 hours | ₹10,000 | Enrol |
| Counselling Suicidal People: A Therapy of HopeFor counsellors and clinicians working with people at risk over time rather than in a single crisis. | — | ₹8,000 | Enrol |
| QPR for Primary Care ProvidersMost people who die by suicide have seen a doctor recently, often for something unrelated. Detection and referral inside a short consultation. | 4 hours | ₹4,000 | Enrol |
| QPR for PharmacistsPharmacists see warning signs others miss. What to say and what to do to reduce risk while creating a safe path to care. | 4 hours | ₹4,000 | Enrol |
| QPR for Sports ProfessionalsFor coaches and sports staff, covering athletes as well as colleagues, friends and family. | 3 hours | ₹3,000 | Enrol |
| QPR for School Health Professionals, Youth Workers, Mentors, and AdvocatesFor school health professionals, youth workers, mentors and advocates responsible for young people at elevated risk. | 14 hours | ₹7,420 | Enrol |
| Preventing Elder SuicideOlder adults attempt suicide less often but are more likely to die on a first attempt. Prepares the eldercare workforce to recognise and respond. | 4 hours | ₹3,000 | Enrol |
| QPR Instructor TrainingBecome certified to deliver QPR Gatekeeper Training yourself, inside your own school, college or organisation. | 16 hours | ₹20,000 | Enrol |
Institutions are invoiced against a purchase order rather than paying per seat at checkout. Tell us roughly how many people and where you are.
