Key
to the success of any of these projects is the collective nature of our committee. We are fortunate to have people in a wide range of
agencies, as well as volunteers, who bring valuable and diverse perspectives to the table.
Media
support has been invaluable in our efforts. In
our first year, a newspaper reporter was one of our committee members.
If
a community wished to have a “Yellow Ribbon Presentation” to get started,
explore the Alberta chapter through www.yellowribbon.org as this
will be a more affordable option than bringing the Emmes from Colorado.
The
impact of the “Stories of Hope” and “Vive la Video” is far greater
than we can hope to measure. While the Emme’s
presentations were valuable for setting the stage for our ongoing efforts, the local
perspective of our latter two projects drives home the fact that this is not just a
problem somewhere far away. It happens in
your community and in mine. We can only hope
to make suicide an easier subject to discuss openly, and put lifesaving information in the
hands of those who might someday need it.
Early
indications on our curriculum development project from teachers and support workers are
very positive. Teachers who have requested
these presentations have indicated that the lesson "gets students talking,"
which is the first step in prevention of suicide. The students gain a greater awareness of
the causes, warning signs and avenues for getting help. The instructional kit is available
through the Battle River Regional Division for use by teachers who wish to teach the
module themselves
Sources
of funds for our projects have included:
