Three local flag-raising ceremonies will be held ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day on Sept. 10.
The ceremonies, on Sept. 9, will take place at 10 am at Harmony Square in downtown Brantford, 11:30 am at Paris District High School on Grand River Street North in Paris and at 1 pm at the Brant County Health Unit on Terrace Hill Street in Brantford.
Organziers said the ceremony at the Paris high school is way to reach out to young people.
“In the past, we’ve always held the Brant County ceremony by the council chambers in downtown Paris,” said Lill Petrella, the team lead, mental health promotion and education for the Canadian Mental Health Association, Brant Haldimand-Norfolk Branch. “But, this year, because of the pandemic and its impact on young people, we really wanted to have a ceremony at a school.
“We really want to engage young people and get them talking about suicide prevention.”
Paris was selected for no other reason than it is in Brant County, Petrella said.
“We think it’s going to take a long time for people to get through the mental health challenges caused by COVID-19 and the more people talk about suicide prevention, the better.”
Petrella was unable to provide up-to-date statistics concerning the number of people who died by suicide over the past two years.
However, she said CMHA has received a lot of inquiries from people interested in participating in the association’s survivors of suicide bereavement program.
In any given month, as many as 22 people could attend a meeting, Petrella said.
The ceremonies, organized by Suicide Prevention Brant, a committee that includes representation from several social service agencies in Brantford, Brant County and Six Nations of the Grand River, including Woodview Mental Health and Autism Services, which is the committee’s lead agency.
In addition to the flag-raising ceremonies, residents can show their support by participating in Move In Yellow, a social media campaign that runs from Sept. 5 to 9.
Residents are invited to wear something yellow and do some kind of movement, such as dancing, jumping, walking or skipping rope. The photos or videos can be posted on social media and tagged to @SuicidePreventionBrant or sent to [email protected] .
Petrella said the photos will be shared on social media as a way of raising awareness about suicide prevention and to inspire hope throughout the community.
“Suicide is a preventable tragedy and open and direct conversations are key to preventing and creating safer communities,” she said. “We’re urging people through the community be learn more, take all talk of serious suicide and engage in conversations about mental health to prevent stigma.”
Brantford has had a suicide prevention committee since 2005. The committee, which includes representatives from various community groups, was revamped in 2014 to become Suicide Prevention Brant.
The group provides direction and leadership aimed at making Brantford/Brant a suicide safer community. It also works with other community organizations to reduce both the incidence and impact of suicide in the community.
To learn more visit
www.facebook.com/SuicidePreventionBrant.
twitter.com/EXPVBall