SafeTALK - Global Day of Action - Houston

About this event

Join us on 11th September to mark International Suicide Prevention Day 2025. We invite you to attend the award winning SafeTALK course, hosted by the Houston International Seafarers Centre in the city of Houston. This event is one of several SafeTALK courses being delivered across the world to recognise International Suicide Prevention Day and signal our global day of action.

What is SafeTALK?

SafeTALK stands for Suicide Alertness For Everyone. It's a half-day course that can help you make a difference. Its about become alert to suicide, and creating suicide safe communities. Check out the trailer here

Most people with thoughts of suicide don’t want to die—instead, they are looking for a way to work through the pain in their lives. Through their words and actions, they usually invite others to help them in making a choice for life. SafeTALK teaches participants to recognise these invitations, engage with the person with thoughts of suicide, and connect them with resources to help them.

What will and learn?

SafeTALK helps participants become alert to suicide. Suicide-alert people are better prepared to connect persons with thoughts of suicide with life-affirming help. Over the course of their training, SafeTALK participants will learn to:

• Notice and respond to situations where thoughts of suicide may be present.
• Recognise that invitations for help are often overlooked.
• Move beyond the common tendency to miss, dismiss, and avoid suicide.
• Apply the TALK steps: Tell, Ask, Listen, KeepSafe, and
• Connect people at risk of suicide with further appropriate help.

What are the teaching methods?

The session combines various teaching methods, including:

• Video clips
• Discussion
• Practice

SafeTALK is a Living Works training programme brought to you through The Mission to Seafarers.

For more information about the course click here

What do participants say?

"Very enlightening. Interesting how we were all challenged by the word 'Suicide'. It brought many thoughts and ideas, and I no longer feel afraid to use the word suicide. A word I felt nervous about, especially in a direct conversation. We are all better people for today.”

Reasonable adjustments

If you require reasonable adjustments to attend the course please contact the SafeTALK trainer Josh, at director@baltseafarers.org.

Timings and Breaks?

Our SafeTALK trainer, Josh, will greet you at the Seafarers Centre, 9750 High Level Rd.Houston, from 08:45am for a 09:00am start.

Refreshments will be available before the course and a networking lunch is provided from 12:30 - 14:00.

Cancellation:

If you need to cancel your booking, please let us know as soon as possible.

Questions:

Please get in touch if you have any queries relating to this event, including dietary requirements and reasonable adjustments, please contact director@baltseafarers.org.

Why is The Mission to Seafarers providing SafeTALK courses?

Our primary aim is to further support Seafarers through empowering our port based teams with confidence to talk about suicide. The Mission to Seafarers recognises that there is a high risk of suicide at sea and we want to ensure our teams are confident talking about suicide. We know crew have less access to help when they are at sea. Poor connections, limited awareness of signposting services, and limited supported networks onboard exacerbate feelings of loneliness and isolation in their immediate surroundings. Whilst suicide has always been a major concern for seafarers the Covid-19 global pandemic exacerbated triggers causing symptoms that lead to thoughts of suicide. Indefinite time on board, restrictions on crew changes, financial uncertainty for crew on board and on shore. It is imperative that we address this silent killer, as the UK P&I club stated in 2017 ‘Suicide rates among seafarers suffering from poor mental health have more than tripled since 2014’.

The Mission to Seafarers has a long and solid history providing seafarers with the greatest degree of welfare. SafeTALK will part of this. It is time to talk, ask, listen, and Keep Safe in our communities, at sea and on land.