Suicide Intervention Training reaches 5,000 delegates in Wales / Hyfforddiant Ymyriadau Hunanladdiad yn cyrraedd 5,000 o gyfranogwyr yng Nghymru

Sgroliwch i lawr am y fersiwn Cymraeg

The Positive Choices project has trained a landmark 5,000 people in Applied Suicide Intervention Training (ASIST), making a significant contribution to suicide prevention in Wales.

Funded by the Big Lottery Fund, Positive Choices is a five-year programme which gives training to frontline workers and community members. It equips them with the skills and confidence to give an immediate and appropriate response to anyone thinking about suicide. 

The ASIST course is a vital component of the programme and trains frontline staff to connect, understand and help people who may be at risk of suicide. It also gives those trained the skills and confidence to recognise signs of severe distress and give an immediate response.

Alan Briscoe, Mind Cymru's Training and Consultancy Manager said:

“The fact 5,000 people have been trained in suicide intervention signifies a big step in achieving the Welsh Government’s Talk to me  National Action Plan to reduce suicide and self-harm in Wales.

“An evaluation of the training in 2011 demonstrated the impact ASIST is having as considerably more people feel able to intervene with someone in distress. For example, results showed ASIST increased participants’ confidence in recognising when someone was in distress and 97% of participants felt prepared to help a person at risk of suicide. 

"This marked change in confidence was maintained as 73% of those questioned said they had used the training to help someone at risk of suicide, 8% of which had used the intervention more than 20 times.”

Since the start of the programme in 2009, a number of organisations across Wales have benefited from ASIST including Universities, Hotels, Rugby Clubs and Housing Associations.

One organisation which is committed to ASIST and ensures all staff are trained is Cardiff YMCA Housing Association. Operational Manger, Corina Churchlow, explains why the course has become so important to the organisation:

“At Cardiff YMCA we employ specialist support staff to work with our residents on a one-to-one basis. However, we also employ staff who interact with our residents on a daily basis, such as maintenance staff, cleaners, receptionists and security.

"Residents are often just as likely to confide in these staff as our support workers as these are the people who are often there in the middle of the night when a resident feels at their lowest and when they might disclose thoughts of suicide.

“With this in mind, it became apparent that specialist training was needed. However, it was important the training wasn’t geared toward professional social workers, as some of the staff would feel out of their depth. ASIST was the answer and has since become a vital component of Cardiff YMCA’s core training programme.

“Since 2009, three in-house courses and two tune-up courses have been organised. All of our staff are trained including contract workers and so far it is estimated that over 100 lives have been saved. This signifies the huge impact ASIST has and the true benefits of training staff.”

The Positive Choices programme, which administrates the ASIST course, is led by Mind Cymru in partnership with Torfaen Mind, Mind Aberystwyth, Vale of Clwyd Mind and Public Health Wales.

Phil Chick, from Public Health Wales, said:

“The value of the ASIST programme should not be underestimated. Improving people’s confidence and ability to offer help to a person in distress, and who may be at risk of suicide, offers comfort and reassurance and has the potential to save a life. 

“People can sometimes shy away from offering help for fear of making things worse or merely out of embarrassment. ASIST enables those trained to offer support to people in crisis and to help them access professional help. Reaching the 5,000 landmark is a credit to Mind Cymru, its partners, its training team and those individuals and organisations that have participated in the ASIST programme.”Fflur Lawton, from the Big Lottery Fund, said:

“It’s great to hear that our funding is making such a vital difference by helping to save lives and support people during times of extreme distress. This funding represents part of the £14 million the Big Lottery Fund awarded in Wales to promote the rehabilitation and independence of people with serious mental health problems and support those at greatest risk of suicide.”The ASIST model was developed in Calgary, Canada, in the 1980s byLivingworks and since then over one million people in 22 countries have been trained. However, this is the first time the model has been run in Wales.

Mae'r prosiect Dewisiadau Cadarnhaol wedi rhoi Hyfforddiant Ymyriadau Hunanladdiad Cymwysedig (ASIST) i 5,000 o bobl, gan gyfrannu'n helaeth at y gwaith o atal achosion o hunanladdiad yng Nghymru.

Caiff Dewisiadau Cadarnhaol ei ariannu gan y Gronfa Loteri Fawr ac mae'n rhaglen bum mlynedd sy'n rhoi hyfforddiant i weithwyr rheng flaen ac aelodau o'r gymuned i sicrhau eu bod yn meithrin y sgiliau a'r hyder i ymateb ar unwaith ac mewn ffordd briodol i unrhyw un sy'n meddwl am hunanladdiad. 

Mae cwrs ASIST yn elfen hanfodol o'r rhaglen ac mae'n hyfforddi staff rheng flaen i gysylltu â phobl a allai fod mewn perygl o gyflawni hunanladdiad, eu deall a'u cynorthwyo. Mae hefyd yn rhoi'r sgiliau a'r hyder i'r rheini sy'n cael eu hyfforddi i adnabod arwyddion o drallod difrifol a rhoi ymateb ar unwaith.

Dywedodd Alan Briscoe, Rheolwr Hyfforddi ac Ymgynghoriaeth, Mind Cymru:

"Mae'r ffaith bod 5,000 o bobl wedi cael hyfforddiant ymyriadau hunanladdiad yn gam mawr ymlaen yn y broses o gyflawni Cynllun Gweithredu Cenedlaethol Llywodraeth Cymru Siarad â fi i leihau achosion o hunanladdiad a hunan-niwed yng Nghymru.

"Dengys gwerthusiad o'r hyfforddiant yn 2011 yn amlwg yr effaith a gaiff ASIST wrth i lawer mwy o bobl deimlo y gallant ymyrryd pan fydd rhywun mewn trallod. Er enghraifft, dangosodd canlyniadau bod ASIST wedi gwella hyder cyfranogwyr i wybod pryd yr oedd rhywun mewn trallod ac roedd 97% o gyfranogwyr yn teimlo'n barod i helpu rhywun sydd mewn perygl o gyflawni hunanladdiad. Cynhaliwyd y newid sylweddol mewn hyder wrth i 73% o'r rheini a holwyd ddweud eu bod wedi defnyddio'r hyfforddiant i helpu rhywun oedd mewn perygl o gyflawni hunanladdiad, ac roedd wyth y cant ohonynt wedi defnyddio'r ymyriad fwy nag 20 o weithiau."Ers dechrau'r rhaglen yn 2009, mae amrywiaeth o sefydliadau ledled Cymru wedi cael budd o ASIST yn cynnwys ysbytai, prifysgolion a clwbiau rygbu. Mae Cymdeithas Tai YMCA Caerdydd yn benodol wedi ymrwymo'n llawn i ASIST ac mae'n sicrhau bod pob aelod o'i staff yn cael hyfforddiant. 

Mae Corina Churchlow, Rheolwr Gweithrediadau, yn egluro pam bod y cwrs wedi datblygu i fod mor bwysig i'r sefydliad:

"Yng Nghymdeithas Tai YMCA Caerdydd rydym yn cyflogi staff cymorth arbenigol i weithio gyda'n preswylwyr ar sail unigol. Fodd bynnag, rydym hefyd yn cyflogi staff sy'n rhyngweithio â'n preswylwyr bob dydd, fel staff cynnal a chadw, glanhawyr, staff derbynfa a staff diogelwch. Yn aml, mae'r preswylwyr yr un mor debygol o ymddiried yn yr aelodau hyn o staff â'n gweithwyr cymorth gan mai'r bobl hyn yn aml sydd yno yng nghanol y nos pan fydd preswylydd yn teimlo fwyaf isel a phan allai ddechrau meddwl am hunanladdiad.

"Gan gofio hyn, daeth yn amlwg bod angen hyfforddiant arbenigol. Fodd bynnag, roedd yn bwysig nad oedd yr hyfforddiant wedi'i anelu at weithwyr cymdeithasol proffesiynol, gan y byddai rhai o'r staff yn teimlo'n anghyfforddus. ASIST oedd yr ateb ac ers hynny mae wedi dod yn rhan hanfodol o raglen hyfforddiant graidd YMCA Caerdydd. 

"Ers 2009, trefnwyd tri chwrs mewnol a dau gwrs gloywi. Caiff pob aelod o staff ei hyfforddi yn cynnwys gweithwyr contract, a hyd yma amcangyfrifir bod dros 100 o fywydau wedi'u hachub. Mae hyn yn dangos yr effaith anferth a gaiff ASIST a'r gwir fuddiannau a geir o hyfforddi staff."Arweinir y rhaglen Dewisiadau Cadarnhaol, sy'n gweinyddu'r cwrs ASIST, gan Mind Cymru mewn partneriaeth â Mind Torfaen, Mind Aberystwyth, Mind Dyffryn Clwyd ac Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru.

Dywedodd Phil Chick, o Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru:

"Ni ddylid tanbrisio gwerth rhaglen ASIST. Mae gwella hyder a gallu pobl i gynnig help i unigolyn sydd mewn trallod, ac a all fod mewn perygl o gyflawni hunanladdiad, yn cynnig cysur a sicrwydd a gall achub bywyd. 

"Weithiau, gall pobl fod yn gyndyn i gynnig help rhag ofn iddynt wneud pethau'n waeth neu am eu bod yn teimlo cywilydd. Mae ASIST yn galluogi'r rheini sydd wedi cael hyfforddiant i gynnig cymorth i bobl mewn argyfwng a'u helpu i gael help proffesiynol. Mae cyrraedd 5,000 o gyfranogwyr yn glod i Mind Cymru, ei phartneriaid, ei thîm hyfforddi a'r unigolion a'r sefydliadau hynny sydd wedi cymryd rhan yn rhaglen ASIST." Dywedodd Fflur Lawton, o'r Gronfa Loteri Fawr:

"Mae'n wych clywed bod yr arian rydym yn ei godi yn gwneud cymaint o wahaniaeth drwy helpu i achub bywydau a chynorthwyo pobl mewn cyfnodau o drallod eithriadol. Mae'r arian hwn yn cynrychioli rhan o'r £14 miliwn a ddyfarnwyd gan y Gronfa Loteri Fawr yng Nghymru i hyrwyddo annibyniaeth pobl â phroblemau iechyd meddwl difrifol a'r broses o'u hadsefydlu a chynorthwyo'r rheini sy'n wynebu'r perygl mwyaf o gyflawni hunanladdiad."Datblygwyd y model ASIST yn Calgary, Canada, yn y 1980au ganLivingworks ac ers hynny mae dros filiwn o bobl mewn 22 o wledydd wedi cael hyfforddiant. Fodd bynnag, dyma'r tro cyntaf i'r model gael ei redeg yng Nghymru.