Representatives from the three Island families, the FNHA, and Island Health at the ASIST training.
With the shared goal of building capacity for our First Nations families around suicide prevention and intervention, the FNHA and Island Health partnered to provide ASIST Training for Trainers (T4T) May 11-15 on Snuneymuxw territory in Nanaimo. The opportunity provided twelve seats for three First Nation families on Vancouver Island: Kwakwaka’wakw, Nuu-chah-nulth and Coast Salish Nations.
ASIST is a two-day course designed to give participants a practical, hands-on knowledge of providing suicide first aid to promote a “safety-for-now” intervention and skills in arranging for an effective hand over for subsequent care. Its trainers are skilled in working with the group participants to provide a safe environment where the participants can freely and openly discuss their lived experiences of suicide on themselves or their communities.
Emmy Manson, Regional Mental Wellness Advisor for FNHA Vancouver Island regions shares, “this was five days of intense training with three Island Staff trainers who will now go out to the Island within the next year and provide up to three workshops to get accredited to deliver ASIST workshops. This was a true partnership— where Island Health funded the training and facilitators travel, and the FNHA has covered the travel and accommodations for the 12 participants from our First Nation communities and agencies on the Island."
Ivan Voyageur, member of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation and employed by the Namgis Treatment Centre, shared, "The ASIST training is a wonderful experience that encourages community participation at all levels. The training allows for personal involvement with the knowledge that we can all be helpers, I can and will have a better and deeper awareness of working with my clients due to my involvement in this program."