PIPS (Public Initiative for the Prevention of Suicide and Self-harm) was established in 2003 by the North Belfast Health & Social Wellbeing Forum in partnership with bereaved families.  They wanted to develop a community response to a community problem – the exceptionally high incidence of suicide in North Belfast.  PIPS’ mission is to ‘save lives and support those affected by suicide and self harm’.  The group is based in PIPS House in Duncairn Gardens where it provides support, counselling and therapy for those affected by suicide and self-harm.  PIPS adopts a dual approach of working with the general public to raise awareness and crisis response to those in need.

In 2008, PIPS Training was launched as a social enterprise to deliver suicide prevention and awareness training across the region.  Any surplus generated through the social enterprise goes back into PIPS to support their work in crisis intervention and bereavement support, making the charity more sustainable.

The development and delivery of the training is a partnership between PIPS (a North Belfast suicide prevention imitative) and Stakeholder Development (a training consultancy).  These two organisations have a long history of working together and won a joint National Training Award in 2006 for their work in Northern Ireland.  By combining the expertise of PIPS in suicide prevention and Stakeholder Development in training within the community, both the content and delivery of the programme is guaranteed to be of the highest standard.

For information on the PIPS Community Lifeguards Training see SERVICES.