HALO FOUNDATION ENDORSES NEED FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION FOCUS

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The Halo Foundation continues to dedicate a significant portion of its efforts towards the deterrence of bullying and suicide. As part of its ongoing program, three members of Halo Generation Y (Brent Scotland, Cuthbert Forbes and Romancier Edwards), participated in a suicide prevention certification seminar on World Suicide Day on Friday September 10th. The seminar was hosted by Choose Life International, under the theme “Creating Hope Through Action.” The programme, now in its 13th year, has equipped over 500 participants from across the world with techniques and knowledge on how they can assist those who suffer with severe depression and suicidal thoughts. According to the data presented, 1% of all deaths in the world occur due to suicide. On average, the act is committed every 40 seconds.
President of Halo Gen Y, Brent Scotland remarked on the importance of this training. He said, “As a group of young citizens with a mandate to assist the vulnerable, we have a responsibility to ensure that we play our part. Those who are faced with difficulties and stress, leading them to choose death over life, can more than likely be saved with the right intervention”.
In 2018, Halo Generation Y kicked off its teen anti-suicide campaign by hosting a youth retreat, “FUTURE PROOF”, on the lawns of Government House. The sessions were conducted by Dr. Donovan and Mrs. Faith Thomas of Choose Life International, a faith-based organization located in Jamaica that offers training and counselling in the encouragement of healthy emotional well-being. As a result of the 2018 anti-suicide awareness efforts, a number of young people with suicidal tendencies and on the verge of self-harm had reached out to the Halo Foundation in their times of personal crisis. Halo secured the voluntary assistance of a professionally trained psychologist in order to successfully avert what could have turned out to be tragic incidences.
President of the Halo Foundation, H.E. Lady Williams, commented: “The situation is still dire. The complications that young people face as a result of mental health deterioration are well known, discussed and documented. The Foundation, like all other concerned entities, will continue to do whatever we can to attempt to alleviate the problem. Every life saved is a blessing for some parent, friend or sibling who would otherwise have lost a dear one. No amount of effort can ever be enough”.
Photo caption:
File photo: Halo Generation Y Future Proof Anti-Suicide Prevention Conference at Government House, January 2018.
L-R: Hon. Alincia Williams-Grant, President of the Senate; Michael Joseph, Chief Operations Officer – Halo Gen Y; Brent Scotland, President – Halo Gen Y; H.E. Lady Williams; H.E. Sir Rodney Williams; Mrs. Faith Thomas and Dr. Donovan Thomas (Choose Life International).