BSL Life Skills Programmes

Hello my name is Nikki, I work at Signs of Hope a counselling service for Deaf people. Recently in the Deaf Community there has been a lot of sad news about Deaf people who have died because of suicide and this has especially affected young Deaf men. This is important and you are important. All life is valuable.

Maybe you know someone who has died because of suicide or maybe you are worried about another person who is at risk of suicide or maybe you are in that position yourself. If you have been thinking about suicide or self-harm maybe you have thought that you don’t want to bother other people about it thinking it is better to keep it to myself. That is not the case. It is really important that you talk with somebody that you trust. It could be a friend or a family member or a professional it doesn’t matter who it is but it is really important that you let somebody know how you are feeling. It can be difficult for Deaf people to access support so it important that you know how to access the support that is available for you.

If it is an emergency and you or someone you know is in crisis and wanting to kill themselves then go straight to A&E or text 999. Check that your phone is already registered so that you can use the 999 text service. To register your phone text REGISTER to 999. If you are looking for confidential support from a helpline you can contact the Samaritans by email jo@samaritans.org. Another option is to get support via text message. Text DEAF to 85258. The service is free, you can text day or night and it is confidential. It is not always possible to get a reply straightway and you may have to wait up to 24 hours before you receive a reply.

While you are waiting for some support, if you are feeling really emotional and need to calm down there are some things you can do. Try breathing slowly, count your breathing, as you breathe in count up to 7 and as you breathe out count up to 11. Sit down and press your feet firmly into the ground. With your hands clench them and then release them. Try to go for a walk. Make sure you go to a safe place for example a friend’s house, or a hospital, or a place where you know there will be other people. You may prefer other options. There is an app Stay Alive that you can download onto your phone and it is free. The app can help you in 3 ways, give information about local support, help you to create a safety plan for yourself, and helps you to think about your life. If you are looking for support in sign language you can have counselling or psychotherapy.

At Signs of Hope we offer free counselling. We can offer communication in BSL, SSE or spoken English, the choice is yours. We do not use interpreters as it is much better for you to communicate directly with the counsellor.

Our contact details are Email: signsofhope@rcdow.org.uk or SMS 07534 570429.

If you are thinking of harming yourself or contemplating suicide please let us know so that we can start your counselling quickly.

There are other options as well. There is Deaf4Deaf counselling service, Sign Health, and Deaf people who are private counsellors. If you want more information please contact us.

If you are thinking of harming yourself or are at risk of suicide, please do not suffer alone. Please ask for help. You are an important person and your life is valuable.

If you are worried about another person please pass this information on to them.

Thank you for watching.