Another successful training with Debbie Baird and Mary Forsythe-Taber of the Makin’ It Happen (MIH) Team in the greater Manchester region presented to the students and staff at the IMPACCT Academy on November 30th, and again on January 5, 2022, did a video-pilot presentation of the Makin’ It Happen Recovery video.
QPR for youth and young adults…Question, Persuade and Refer; is simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Just as people trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help.
Debbie Baird – QPR Instructor with MIH shared, “the importance here is to keep the dialog going, letting the students know it’s ok to talk about suicide. After the presentation, we had a meaningful and wonderful conversation with this group which led to great questions and open and honest discussion on how to help someone who may be in any type of crisis. Building a safety net first, and letting students know they can go to trusted adults in their network of support and get the help they need to help a friend”.
The IMPACCT Academy is a partnership of New Hampshire Vocational Rehabilitation (NHVR), Granite State Independent Living (GSIL), and high schools throughout New Hampshire. The program is dedicated to helping underserved students and students with IEPs/504 Plans become part of the local workforce as they navigate from high school to employment, post-secondary education, or training that leads towards a career. This experiential approach helps students reengage with their education and understand the value it has for their careers. This program can help your school build a path to increased graduation and decreased dropout rates. For more information contact Harry Burnham at www.gsil.org
Here is what one of the students shared after the training; “Thank you for coming in today to talk about suicide awareness. I’ve been an avid supporter of suicide awareness for a long time. It’s an important topic that is not talked about enough due to it being considered taboo. You have a wonderful training program that really puts into perspective how important it is to check in on people. It’s nice to see people speaking about their own experiences.
Thank you again for teaching us at IMPACCT about the topic of suicide.”
We appreciate the collaboration with the IMPACCT Academy and their students and welcome all in our region to connect for training. If you would like more information please contact Debbie Baird, [email protected] at Makin’ It Happen, or go to our website at www.makinithappen.org
