Suicide First Aid: Understanding Suicide Intervention (SFAUSI)

This accredited one-day programme (Suicide First Aid through Understanding Suicide Intervention – SFA: USI) gives you the confidence and practical tools to identify when someone may be thinking of suicide, start a safe, compassionate conversation, and work with them to build an immediate suicide-safety plan. The course was created and is licensed by the National Centre for Suicide Prevention, Education & Training (NCSPET).  

What can I expect from this Suicide First Aid course?

Learning is interactive and trauma-aware, blending expert facilitation, realistic scenarios, videos and group discussion. The programme can be delivered in classroom or live online, and is suitable for people managers, HR/wellbeing teams and any role supporting others. Many deliveries follow a four × 90-minute structure with breaks to support reflection and psychological safety.

Across the four focused parts, you will cover:

• Foundations of suicide prevention: stigma, language, and the wider impact (The Hidden Toll® and The Ripple Effect®).
• Understanding thoughts & behaviours: intention vs outcome; possible causes of suicidal ideation.
• Population approaches: prevention–intervention–postvention, and partnership working using a first-aid mindset.
• Core helping skills: recognising suicide invitations, listening to understand, exploring options, co-creating a suicide-safety plan, and signposting.
• Looking after yourself: boundaries, resilience and self-care during and after difficult conversations.

By the end of this Suicide First Aid course, you will have:

• Knowledge to spot the signs of someone who may be thinking about suicide.
• Confidence to intervene and help create a suicide-safety plan as a first-aid approach.
• Skills to offer support to someone in distress or who may be experiencing suicidal thoughts.
• Knowledge of helpful, destigmatising language when talking about suicide.
• A deep understanding of how to have a supportive conversation with someone who needs to stay safe from suicide.
• An understanding of factors that contribute to suicidal thoughts.

What are the entry requirements for this Suicide First Aid course?

No prior training is required. You should be willing to reflect, practise supportive conversations and maintain confidentiality. Full attendance is essential; there’s no expectation to share personal experiences. Recommended for participants aged 18+.

There is no formal exam for SFA: USI, successful completion is based on participation and attendance. Learners who want a formal qualification can complete City & Guilds Unit 407 via an additional assessed workbook after the course.

On completion of the course, learners will receive an SFA: USI certificate of attendance from NCSPET. Completing the optional City & Guilds Unit 407 workbook awards 6 credits at Level 4 (e-certificate issued by City & Guilds).