‘You don’t have to be a doctor or psychologist to talk openly about suicide’
You might not have gone to medical school but you can still help someone with suicidal thoughts. This is what three staff members who took training from 113 Suicide Prevention Foundation are keen to emphasise. ‘I’ve got a better idea of what warning signs to look for and how to refer students to the right help.’
Hélène Tuinman, Study Adviser, Public Administration programme
‘Suicide is a subject you will inevitably have to deal with if you support students. But it’s a tough topic and it can be tempting to want to avoid it. As a professional, you may be scared of saying the wrong thing or giving people ideas by raising the topic. Those concerns were completely allayed during this training. By getting people to talk about their suicidal feelings and the difficulties in their lives, you can actually help them. That was a real eye-opener for me.
‘The training day wasn’t all doom and gloom, there was a really nice, safe setting.’
‘The training day definitely wasn’t all doom and gloom. They created a really nice, safe setting right from the start. The trainers from 113 Suicide Prevention have personal experience of the subject and really know their stuff. That made the training really useful for me – and of a high standard. Many courses and workshops often only cover the theory and as a study adviser you miss how to apply it in the real world. We did role-plays, which hugely built my confidence. If I suspect a student is struggling with this, I now dare to talk about it.’
Roswitha Kazic-Koliloedjoer, Student Counsellor, Meeting Point
‘The students who come to the Meeting Point have sometimes experienced really traumatic things. But what do you say if you are deeply concerned about someone? The good thing about this training is that you get to practise such conversations in a pressure-free environment. The first time you ask someone if they have ever considered suicide is so hard, but it gets easier. And you learn that you are allowed to raise the subject of suicide. The other person actually feels relieved because you are giving them permission to talk about it. If a student now says they can’t cope any more, I find it easier to ask what exactly they mean. Nine out of ten times it is about deadline stress and you find they still do fun things with friends.
‘You learn that you are allowed to raise the subject of suicide’
‘I would definitely recommend this training. What might help colleagues who are still unsure is knowing that the really tough conversations and treatment are never your responsibility. You are the one who learns to recognise the warning signs and can refer the student to the right help, such as a psychologist or GP, so they don’t have to face things alone. And be aware that there is also plenty of attention during the training day to how you are feeling. It really felt like a safe environment.’
Jelle Buijs, skills lecturer and coach, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences Honours College
‘As a coach, I can often be found brainstorming with students about fun things like study skills training or what master’s they want to do. But sometimes they aren’t doing so well and then it’s good to know what to do.
‘We can actually make a difference by training ourselves to ask difficult questions.’
‘I can imagine that with training courses like this people might think: “I’m not a therapist. This is beyond my remit”. But I think that with complex social problems like this, it is important to see ourselves as part of a greater whole and so part of the problem and the solution. We can actually make a difference by training ourselves to ask difficult questions. You don’t have to be a psychologist or specialist to do so, and this training doesn’t magically turn you into one. But you do learn how to be a better listener in conversations and to pick up on certain signs that allow you to keep asking questions and refer people to the help they need. That’s another way to do your bit.
‘I think this training improved my empathy skills and gave me a better idea of what signs to look out for. The workshop is given by really great trainers. They deliberately normalise talking about suicide, which makes a really heavy topic much lighter.’
Take part in the free suicide prevention training (English session on Tuesday 7 October)
You may come across people with suicidal thoughts in your work and in your private life as well. The 113 Suicide Prevention Foundation gatekeeper training teaches you how to get people talking about these thoughts and encourage them to seek help. Gatekeeper refers to the key role you can play for someone who feels so stuck that they no longer wish to carry on living.
A new training session (in Dutch) for study advisers, teaching staff and other student support staff will be held on Thursday 6 March 2025. The training is provided free through the Student and Educational Affairs Expertise Centre’s Student Well-being programme. For mere information and a sign-up link, see the staff members website. Feel free to send any questions to staffwellbeing@sea.leidenuniv.nl.
An English training day will be held later this year on Tuesday 7 October. Registration is already open.
Do you need help?
Please do not hesitate to contact 113 Suicide Prevention Foundation via their phone number or website: 0800-0113 and 113.nl. The helpline and chat service are available to both Dutch and English speakers and you can call or chat completely anonymously.
Text: Evelien Flink
Banner: Priscilla Du Preez via Unsplash