National Suicide Prevention Week runs from September 5th to 11th this year, surrounding World Suicide Prevention Day on the 10th.
Suicide is a leading cause of death around the world, and it is preventable. Every year, intentional self-harm claims the lives of over 800,000 people worldwide, with several million more suicide attempts.
Suicide prevention is everyone's business and we want to encourage as many people as possible to participate in #NSPW16. National Suicide Prevention Week is a call to action for individuals, governments, and organizations worldwide "to contribute to the cause of suicide awareness and prevention through activities, events, conferences and campaigns in their country."
So speak up and join the effort to erase stigmas surrounding self-harm, show that nobody is alone, and encourage discussion for survivors, friends, family, and those at risk.
Outspeak will be partaking in #NSPW16 and we want to hear from you. Some of the issues you could focus on include:
- Breaking stigmas surrounding risk factors such as mental illness, substance abuse, previous suicide attempts, unemployment, etc.
- What your community, school, or business is doing in support of #NSPW16
- Your personal experiences with self-harm
- The importance of protective factors against self-harm such as high self-esteem, social connectedness, supportive family and friends, etc.
If you currently have a video, or are interested in creating one for #NSPW16, send it to us via Facebook or Twitter. We encourage you to use the hashtag and engage with others participating in National Suicide Prevention Week. Or email your submissions to social@outspeak.tv.
For those looking to further show their support on social media, the American Association of Suicidology provides #NSPW16 profile pictures. For more information, visit their website.
Your content has the opportunity to be featured on Huffington Post's massive social media pages, on Outspeak social media, and the chance for an editorial feature on the Outspeak page. For an example of how these features look. Check out our mashup video for the recent Orlando shooting tragedy, and our recent #BeyondthePodium Olympics campaign.
Reporting on suicide is an incredibly sensitive topic. So please follow these recommendations when preparing your video.
Please Keep In Mind The Following When Filming Your Video:
- Make sure you're shooting in a well-lit, non-distracted environment.
- Keep the shots well-composed and in focus.
- Keep the video short, 1-3 minutes preferred.
- Keep the video focused on one theme. People will listen if you can speak focused and passionately.
- Take a unique approach. How is this personal to you? Why is this issue in particular something you're passionate about?
- Do not use offensive or derogatory language. If used maliciously or recklessly, your video will not be considered for circulation.
If you have any questions, please contact us at social@outspeak.tv or give us a shout on Twitter.