Suicide Awareness in Singapore
Ms. Christine Wong Executive Director
Crisis Support Specialist Counselling 24-hour Hotline Email Befriending LOSS Programme Healing Bridge Support Group Case Consultation Research Training Community Outreach OUTLINE
Singapore demographics
Overview of Mental Health strategies
Suicide facts & figures
About SOS
Community Outreach
Research
Q&A
2 SINGAPORE POPULATION DEMOGRAPHICS FOR 2016
Total Population 5.6 million
Singapore Citizen Permanent Residents Non-Residents 3.4 million 0.052 million 2.1 million
Source: Population Trends 2016 Singapore Department of Statistics
3 SINGAPORE POPULATION DEMOGRAPHICS FOR 2016
Ethnic Composition of Residents Population Median Age: 40 3.2 9.1 Sex Composition of Residents Population
13.4
Females Males 74.3 51% 49%
Chinese Malays Indians Others
Source: Population Trends 2016 Singapore Department of Statistics
4 MENTAL HEALTH STRUCTURE IN SINGAPORE
HEALTHCARE SOCIAL SERVICES
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
NATIONAL ORGANISATIONS
Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) Social Service Providers COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS E.g.
5 MEETING CURRENT & EMERGING NEEDS
6 NCSS STUDY ON QUALITY OF LIFE
7 COMMON PREDICTORS
8 CURRENT LANDSCAPE
9 SERVING THE COMMUNITY
More agencies focusing More social service offices on mental health open in the neighbourhood areas
More free community legal clinic Agencies working with youths
Services for the elderly More centres for caregivers More voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) serving disabilities and promoting inclusive society
10 WHAT ROLE DO WE PLAY?
CO-WORKERS
VOLUNTEERS
SELF
FAMILY
11 GLOBAL STATISTICS
12 SINGAPORE SUICIDE STATISTICS
Number of Suicides 500 467
450 419 422 415 405 401 409 374 400 364 353 361 350 298 301 292 300 271 263 260 267 232 227 229 Total 250 215 Male 200 169 Female 159 159 142 132 134 132 138 150 126 121 123
100
50
0 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Source: Registry of Births and Deaths, Immigrations and Checkpoints Authority, Singapore
13 COMPARISON ACROSS CAUSE OF DEATH
450 422 415 409 400 350
300 Assault/violent crime 250
200 183 176 168 Transport accidents 150
100 Suicide 50 14 14 17 0 2014 2015 2016
14 SUICIDES BY ETHNICITY
POPULATION COMPOSITION SUICIDES
3.2% 6.1%
9.1% 16.4% 13.4% 2.9%
74.3% 74.6% Chinese Malay Indian Other
15 BREAKDOWN BY AGE
100
90
80
s 70 h t a e d 60 e d i c i u 50 s f o r
e 40 b m u
N 30
20
10
0 0-9 10-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-79 80 andabove Age group
Source: Registry of Births and Deaths, 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Immigrations and Checkpoints Authority, Singapore
16 Youngsters cite mental health and relationship issues, academic pressure as sources of stress: SOS
17 SINGAPORE SUICIDE STATISTICS
AT LEAST
1 Suicide death every day 2 Teenage suicide every month
ON AVERAGE EVERY YEAR About 400 die by suicide, Men are TWICE more likely 1,000 suicide attempts than women to die by suicide
18 MASS MEDIA – YOUTH SUICIDES
Multi-agency group set out to better understand the motivations and ideation behind youth suicides.
Source: The Straits Times – More teens call SOS about mental health problems
Source: The Straits SToimurecse :– TGhreo Sutpr asietes kTsi mtoe us n–dLeerasrtannindg y toou stpho stu, ihceidlpe syoung kids at suicide risk
19 OTHER MASS MEDIA ON SOS
Source: The Straits Times – Helplines Take suicide threats seriously Source: 联合早报 – 了解自杀趋势变化及导因 扶轮社将发起首个自杀研究 Source: The Straits Times – Facebook rolls out updated tools to help stop suicides and self-harm in Singapore Source:联合早报 – 自杀率虽创四年来新低 年轻轻生者去年倍增 Source: TODAYonline – Samaritans of S’pore steps up efforts to aid distressed individuals
20 Suicide prevention is more than just about the relevant professionals averting crises in an emergency situation. It started with all of us doing something every day, in our own little ways.
Ms Christine Wong SOS Executive Director
21 The best preventive measure would be for all in the community to be on a greater lookout for such negative content in the media, educate others to avoid them, and to be attentive to their loved ones by reinforcing social and emotional support for those they may be concerned about.
22 ABOUT SOS SAMARITANS OF SINGAPORE
23 ABOUT SOS
Established on 1969, 48 years in Singapore
To be the premier organisation in VISION suicide prevention
MISSION To be an available lifeline for anyone in crisis
24 A HOSLISTIC APPROACH
24-Hour Hotline Local Outreach to Email Befriending Suicide Survivors (LOSS) Training
Healing Bridge Research Community Outreach
INTERVENTION
Crisis Support Case Consultation Specialist Counselling
25 SOS PROGRAMMES & SERVICES
26 PUBLICATIONS
Letter to Aly: Surviving my BFF’s Suicide by Lee-Ann (2013) Available in all major bookstores.
After her best friend jumped to her death, Lee-Ann begins to contemplate suicide too. In her searingly honest diary entries, she exposes the wound of having a loved one gone too soon.
WHY? When Both My Parents Took Their Lives by Yin (2008) Available in all major bookstores.
When she was only 7, Yin’s mother took her own life. Forty years later, her father jumped to his death. She tells the readers how she survived her parents’ suicide.
The Role of SOS in Suicide Prevention 27 NEWS & DEVELOPMENTS
SOS is categorised under National Council of Social Service (NCSS) Mental Health Services Department
SOS is described as an organisation focusing on suicide intervention and crisis management
28 INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS
29 FORGING PARTNERSHIPS
0
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
30 COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Awareness Talks Conferences/Forums Youth Outreach
1. Suicide Awareness Talk Collaboration with educational 2. Suicide Prevention for institutions Caregivers 3. Community Resources in the neighbourhood
o Youths o Elderly School o Caregivers roadshows o Front liners & Volunteers o General public
The Role of SOS in Suicide Prevention 31 WORKING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS
32 COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Building Bridges Forging Connections Creating Communities
Ground-up initiative aimed at equipping youth ambassadors with essential mental health knowledge and skills to support their peers in distress.
Key Community Partners:
33 CORPORATE ENGAGEMENTS
Conduct Suicide Awareness Talk (SAT) with employees on the suicide situation in Singapore and share how each and everyone can do their part in lifting the stigma on suicide in Singapore.
34 REACHING OUT TO THE YOUTHS
35 Specially designed to promote emotional well- SCHOOL being among youths and impart necessary knowledge and skills for peers to provide adequate TALKS & WORKSHOPS support to each other during difficult times.
Students aged 13 to 14 years old Students aged 15 to 17 years old Students aged 17 to 21 years old (Lower Secondary School) (Upper Secondary School) (Tertiary Institution)
FEEL YOUR LIFE A THINKING HEART WORKING OUT OUR Explore emotional well-being with TROUBLES Get insights to our ‘4 Basic emphasis on positive coping strategies to Emotions’, and a focus on ways to better manage negative emotions Understand the factors and stressors balance between emotions and that lead to what is known as “teenage thoughts angst”, with a focus on the KEEP CALM, STRESS-LESS overwhelming emotional and physical turmoil that teenagers experience and Understand stress and its impact on how to work them out health, with a focus on fun ways to de- stress
36 COLLABORATION WITH SCHOOLS
Students will get to learn about:
• The work at SOS • Our cause • Suicide situation in Singapore
Collaborating with local university students to come up with ideas to tackle on the issues of:
- Promoting help-seeking behaviour among those aged 20-29
- Increasing the number of volunteers at SOS
37 Collaborating with local university students to COLLABORATION come up with ideas to tackle on the issues of: WITH SCHOOLS - Promoting help-seeking behaviour among those aged 20-29
- Increasing the number of volunteers at SOS
38 Collaborating with local university students to COLLABORATION come up with ideas to tackle on the issues of: WITH SCHOOLS - Promoting help-seeking behaviour among those aged 20-29
- Increasing the number of volunteers at SOS
39 REACHING OUT TO THE ELDERLY
40 MASS MEDIA – ELDERLY SUICIDES
41 APPROACH IN PREVENTING ELDERLY SUICIDES
Health Promotion Board Senior Activity Centres (SACs) Crisis Response
• Equip seniors on social- • Conduct social activities • Conduct outreach talk to emotional and self-care and home visits to reach raise awareness about skills out elderly living in the suicide rental flats • Conducting workshops in • Operate 24-hour hotlines workplaces to teach • Befriending programmes for those in distress older Singaporeans on where volunteers visit mental resilience and seniors regularly so they well-being are not isolated
42 OUTREACH TALKS FOR THE SENIORS
• Reaching out to various Senior Activity Centres to conduct outreach talks One of the elderly passed his handmade token of appreciation to the • Educate the seniors with ways to cope SOS speakers. with stress and emotional well-being
• Informing seniors about SOS 24-hour hotline
43 INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH
Hosted Deputy Chairperson from Befrienders Kuala Lumpur in March 2017.
Shared knowledge of the operations of the centre, with specific focus on services Educational visit from besides the 24-hour hotline such as the Macau Youth Community & Healing Bridge support group School Counselling Service programme, training, and community outreach efforts. in August 2016
44 COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Over the past 5 years, SOS has been reaching out to:
4,268 14,739 Individuals Students
45 WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY 10 September
46 World Suicide Prevention Day 10 September 2016
47 STARTING THE CONVERSATION…
Partner with Creative Agency:
A simple but intuitive way to get more people talking about the issue, and more people asking for the help they need.
48 AWARENESS ENGAGEMENT ADVOCACY
Raise awareness for Drive online engagement Advocate for campaign campaign and drive on campaign page and message through adoption of traffic to campaign page social content plaster and active sharing of campaign message
Facebook Ads Print
Creation and download of digital plasters on campaign Twitter Ads Outdoor page Partner Materials for plaster distribution
EDMs to partner Guardian Shelf Display databases Social Media Content Sharing of campaign message on audience’s own social channels Banner Ads CTA social posts by celebrities, influencers and partners
49 AWARENESS
Raise awareness for campaign and drive traffic to campaign page
Campaign Facebook page: Wear a plaster. End the silence.
50 AWARENESS
Raise awareness for campaign and drive traffic to campaign page
Campaign Twitter page: @sos_howru
Partnering with Hansaplast and Guardian on the display
51 AWARENESS
Raise awareness for campaign and drive traffic to campaign page
Publicising on local newspapers
Out-Of-Home advertisement on bus stops island-wide
52 ENGAGEMENT
Drive online engagement on campaign page and social content
Public can download the digital plaster from the SOS website and add it to their social media avatar
During the campaign period from 4 September to 11 September, the no. of visits to SOS website increased by 30x
53 ENGAGEMENT The video ‘Empty Spaces’ is published on campaign Facebook page as well as played in all Golden Village Drive online engagement on cinemas before the movie screening during the campaign campaign page and period. social content
Reached close to 200,000 views per day on Facebook page
54 ENGAGEMENT
Drive online engagement on campaign page and social content
Celebrities & Influencers were also actively sharing on their social platforms, helping to spread the message across the nation
55 ENGAGEMENT
Drive online engagement on campaign page and social content
56 ENGAGEMENT SHARING OWN STORIES ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Drive online engagement on campaign page and social content I have been fighting depression and suicidal thoughts for more than 9 years in silence. I am here to support and create awareness of it. It’s time to break the silence. I have been through, I am still fighting, and we can fight together.
Being a former slave to negativity and self-harm and suicidal thoughts, I do know what it’s like to completely lose hope and lose the drive to keep moving forward in life. But one simple #howru could really change how you think…
57 EXPRESSING CREATIVELY THROUGH ARTS ENGAGEMENT AND MUSIC
Drive online engagement on campaign page and social content
58 ENGAGEMENT ENCOURAGING OTHERS TO OPEN UP CONVERSATION
Drive online engagement on campaign page and social content I’m putting this up in support of World Suicide Prevention Day. All it takes sometimes is a simple question, or a smile, or hug to pull someone back from the edge. I know this personally all too well.
It’s not the easiest thing to get someone to open up, but your one question of #howru could change someone’s mood so much and possibly change their decision of wanting to end his/her life.
59 ADVOCACY
Advocate for campaign message through adoption of plaster and active sharing of campaign message
60 RESEARCH
61 RESEARCH PAPER WITH IASP
A systematic review of physical illness, functional disability and suicidal behaviour among older adults
62 SOS RESEARCH
In collaboration with: FOCUS OF PROJECT
Investigate suicide trends among Singapore’s overall population
PURPOSE OF PROJECT NEW AGE INSTITUTE • Provide an update on Singapore’s suicide landscape
• Aim to improve local suicide prevention & intervention efforts
63 WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES?
Mental Health Stigma
Staff turnover Research IT Infrastructure
Changing socio- Funding & economic trends Resources
The Role of SOS in Suicide Prevention 64 FUNDING
Individuals, Corporations, Foundations
Local Outreach to Suicide Survivor (LOSS) Programme o Not funded by ComChest o 50% funding by Toteboard social service fund o Need to raise $260,000 annually
The Role of SOS in Suicide Prevention 65 FUNDING
Local Outreach to Suicide Community Outreach Research Survivors (LOSS)
The Role of SOS in Suicide Prevention 66 Prevention may be a matter of a caring person with the right knowledge being available in the right place at the right time.
67 COMMUNITY RESOURCES
When 24-hour Office hours Lifetime What First Aid Longer term Ongoing support intervention & support
Who First Responders Professionals Community
Examples Police Force Social Workers Family Civil Defence Counsellors Friends Hospital A&E Doctors Colleagues Hotlines Specialists Neighbours Psychiatrists Religious Groups Psychologists Social Groups Therapists Self-help Groups Nurses Grassroots Leaders
Together, we can make a difference to people in crisis, thinking of suicide or affected by suicide.