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A pioneering partnership between Sussex Recovery College and Grassroots Suicide Prevention is helping people develop practical skills, confidence and hope through a co-produced suicide prevention course.
Developed during 2025 and delivered throughout 2025/26, Staying Safe from Suicide combines lived experience, clinical expertise and evidence-based suicide prevention resources within a safe, recovery-focused educational framework.
The course grew from a collaboration between Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Grassroots Suicide Prevention. What began as a small-scale inpatient pilot evolved into a structured Recovery College programme after participants highlighted the need for more opportunities to openly discuss suicidal thoughts and experiences in a compassionate, non-judgemental learning environment. Combining Recovery College's educational, co-production approach with Grassroots' specialist suicide prevention expertise, the course supports students to develop personalised safety plans, strengthen coping strategies and build confidence in managing their wellbeing.
What the Course Offers
The course is delivered over four weekly two-hour sessions and is co-facilitated by an experienced Peer Trainer and a Clinician. Together, they support students to:
- Understand suicidal thoughts and feelings
- Develop personalised safety plans
- Learn grounding and emotional regulation techniques
- Build self-management skills
- Explore practical tools for maintaining wellbeing
- Connect with others through shared learning and lived experience
Resources from the Stay Alive app, developed by Grassroots Suicide Prevention, are integrated throughout the programme, and used alongside a specially designed course workbook, providing students with tools they can continue using beyond the classroom.
Positive Impact
Early evaluation findings have been highly encouraging.
Among students who completed course evaluations:
- 100% said the course met or exceeded their expectations
- 100% reported confidence and trust in the trainers
- 100% would recommend Recovery College to someone experiencing mental health challenges
- 56% reported an improvement in their mental health following the course
- No students reported a deterioration in their mental health
- 67% said they would use the Stay Alive app in future
Students described the course as safe, supportive and empowering.
Feedback included:
- "I stopped blaming myself."
- "I gained strength from others."
- "I stopped caring about the stuff I can't influence."
- "I used the booklet to help manage my mental health when I was unwell."
Learning and Innovation
The collaboration has enabled learning to flow both ways. Resources from the Stay Alive app were integrated into the course, while insights from students have informed new app developments, including content on emotional regulation, self-compassion and the Window of Tolerance.
Trainers also identified key success factors, including co-production, lived experience leadership, psychological safety, interactive learning methods and practical take-away resources.
Sharing Learning Nationally
The project was recently presented at a national IMROC Action Learning Set, where it attracted significant interest from Recovery Colleges across the country.
One Recovery College partner commented:
"I thought it sounded like a wonderful course and think there'd be a genuine appetite for it nationally."
Looking Ahead
The partnership's ambition is to develop a UK-wide Staying Safe from Suicide Recovery College offer, supported by governance arrangements, training resources and a framework that will enable other Recovery Colleges to adopt and deliver the course locally.
Find Out More
Sussex Recovery College
https://www.sussexrecoverycollege.org.uk
Grassroots Suicide Prevention
https://prevent-suicide.org.uk