Communications toolkit
Autism and suicide awareness training
On this page you’ll find resources to support you with the promotion the ZSA autism and suicide awareness training.
We’ll continue to add to this page as new resources are developed. If there is anything you think would be useful but is not yet included here, please contact us at media@zerosuicidealliance.com
Articles for websites and newsletters
NEW: Autism and Suicide Awareness Training
The Zero Suicide Alliance (ZSA) was supported by NHS Greater Manchester to develop FREE online Autism and Suicide Awareness Training.
The new training launched on Tuesday 2 April as part of World Autism Acceptance Week and is available to take online and for FREE on the ZSA website.
It was co-produced with a steering group made up of experts by experience and experts by profession and more than 200 people shared their experiences and hopes for the training to help shape the course content.
It aims to improve understanding around autism and suicide risk. It includes four example conversations based on real experiences of autistic people to share ideas for how to approach a conversation with someone you’re worried about as well as information about available support resources.
Research shows that:
- Suicide is a leading cause of early death for autistic people[i].
- Autistic people are at a higher risk of suicide than non-autistic people (Hedley, D., & Uljarević, M. 2018[ii]).
- More than 6 in 10 autistic people have considered suicide (Autistica, 2017[iii])
Suicide prevention is everybody’s business, and we can all play a part in suicide awareness and prevention.
Take the training: www.zerosuicidealliance.com/autism-suicide-training
[i] Newell, V. et al., 2023 A systematic review and meta-analysis of suicidality in autistic and possibly autistic people without co-occurring intellectual disability. Molecular autism, 14(1), 12.
[ii] Hedley, D., & Uljarević, M. (2018). Systematic review of suicide in autism spectrum disorder: current trends and implications. Current Developmental Disorders Reports, 5, 65-76.
[iii] Autistica. (2017). Understanding suicide in autism. Available at: https://www.autistica.org.uk/our-research/research-projects/understanding-suicide-in-autism
NEW: Autism and Suicide Awareness Training
The Zero Suicide Alliance (ZSA) has launched its new FREE online Autism and Suicide Awareness Training. Supported by NHS Greater Manchester and co-produced with a steering group made up of experts by experience, experts by profession and informed by the experiences for more than 200 people, the training aims to improve understanding around autism and suicide risk.
Take the training at: www.zerosuicidealliance.com/autism-suicide-training
Print materials
We have developed a series of posters to choose from using the following messages:
Poster |
Description |
|
|
Download A4 poster |
|
|
Download A4 poster |
|
|
Download A4 poster |
|
|
Download A4 poster |
|
|
Download A4 poster |
Source: Newell, V. et al., 2023
Image |
Download |
|
|
Download A4 poster |
|
|
Download A4 poster |
|
|
Download A4 poster |
|
|
Download A4 poster |
|
|
Download A4 poster |
Source: Hedley, D., & Uljarević, M. 2018
Poster preview |
Download |
|
|
Download A4 poster |
|
|
Download A4 poster |
 |
Download A4 poster |
|
|
Download A4 poster |
|
|
Download A4 poster |
Source: Hedley, D., & Uljarević, M. 2018
Poster preview |
Download |
 |
Download A4 poster |
|
|
Download A4 poster |
|
|
Download A4 poster |
|
|
Download A4 poster |
|
|
Download A4 poster |
Source: Autistica, 2017
Poster preview |
Download |
 |
Download A4 poster |
|
|
Download A4 poster |
|
|
Download A4 poster |
|
|
Download A4 poster |
|
|
Download A4 poster |
Source: Hirvikoski et al., 2016
Digital media
We have developed graphics, videos and messages that can be used by you on social media alongside your local messages to support the mental health and wellbeing of autistic people.
Social media posts
We have developed some suggested posts for use on social media:
Suggested posts |
|
There are 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK. Sadly, more than 6 in 10 have experienced suicidal thoughts. No-one should struggle alone. Take the Autism and Suicide Awareness Training and find out how you could help: www.zerosuicidealliance.com/training |
|
Suicide is a leading cause of early death for autistic people. We want this to change. Learn how you could make a difference. Take the Autism and Suicide Awareness FREE online training: www.zerosuicidealliance.com/training |
|
Autistic people are at a higher risk of suicide than non-autistic people. Find out more about autism and suicide risk and how you could help. Take the FREE online Autism and Suicide Awareness Training: www.zerosuicidealliance.com/training |
|
“They simply asked me if I had any thoughts/plans to harm myself. I felt relieved to be asked.” If you don’t feel able to talk to an autistic person about suicide, take our training. It can help you better understand autism and suicide risk and talk to someone you’re worried about. |
|
“I want there to be help for people like me in the future.” Over 200 people shared their experiences and hopes for the ZSA Autism and Suicide Awareness Training. Let’s listen to those experiences and try to help make a difference. Take the training: www.zerosuicidealliance.com/training |
|
“I want autistic people, including me, to be better supported.” More than 200 people shared their experiences and hopes for the ZSA Autism and Suicide Awareness Training. Learn how you could make a difference. Take the FREE online Autism and Suicide Awareness Training: www.zerosuicidealliance.com/training |
|
Sadly, more than 6 in 10 autistic people have considered suicide. Would you know what to say or do if someone was struggling? Take the FREE online Autism and Suicide Awareness Training: www.zerosuicidealliance.com/training |
|
Autistic women are 13 times more likely to die by suicide than non-autistic women. We want this to change. Be prepared to have a potentially life-saving conversation. Take the FREE online Autism and Suicide Awareness Training |
Hashtags
#Autism #SuicideAwareness #SuicidePrevention #FreeTraining #ZSATraining #AutismAwareness #AutismAcceptance
Social media graphics
We have developed graphics for use on social media with the following messages:
Image |
Download |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source: Newell, V. et al., 2023
Graphic preview |
Download |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source: Hedley, D., & Uljarević, M. 2018
Preview |
Download |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source: Hedley, D., & Uljarević, M. 2018
Preview |
Download |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source: Hirvikoski et al., 2016
Other
Thank you for supporting us to promotion of the autism and suicide awareness training.