Awareness – Suicide Awareness & Support for Suicide Loss Survivors

OSAS Suicide Awareness Presentation, click to view our brief suicide awareness presentation used at the public forum in 2008. You will find helpful contacts and local resources toward the end of the presentation.

Okanagan Suicide Awareness Society (OSAS) acknowledges other suicide prevention organizations and government programs that have worked very hard in the last decade to reduce the number of suicides in our province and in our nation. With more than five-years of hard work, the Canadian Association of Suicide Prevention has developed the CASP Blueprint for a Canadian National Suicide Prevention Strategy. The CASP Blueprint can be found on the CASP website. The following are just a few quotes from the CASP Blueprint:

“Suicide is a complex problem involving biological, psychological, social and spiritual factors”
“Suicide affects all of us. It remains among Canada’s most serious public health issues”
“Suicide prevention, intervention and bereavement support is our responsibility as a people and as a nation of diverse communities”
“Many suicides are preventable by knowledgeable, caring, compassionate and committed communities”

Nevertheless, according to our latest available statistics, an average of 500 people die by suicide every year in BC. In 2004, 18 people died by suicide in Kelowna. The number far surpasses the number of homicides by comparison. The problem has not improved since 2004. OSAS is established as a working group to implement a few of the goals laid out in the CASP Blueprint for the Okanagan areas.

Suicide does not only happen to the poor and the disadvantaged. Suicide can happen to anyone, any ethnic background, any social economic group, any gender and any age. It is important to have general knowledge of common characteristics of suicide risk , what to do and where to go for help. You never know when you might encounter someone who is at risk of suicide. In our website, you will find other useful web links where you can learn more about suicide, suicide prevention, intervention and postvention.