Robustmind Mental Fitness Ltd

What is ASIST?

ASIST 11.1 (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) was developed by LivingWorks Education and is for everyone 16 or older regardless of prior experience who wants to be able to provide suicide first aid. Shown by major studies to significantly reduce suicide, the ASIST model teaches effective intervention skills while helping to build suicide prevention networks in the community.

 

Virtually anyone age 16 or older, regardless of prior experience or training, can become an ASIST-trained caregiver. Developed in 1983 and regularly updated to reflect improvements in knowledge and practice, ASIST is the world's leading suicide intervention workshop. During the two-day interactive session, participants learn to intervene and help prevent the immediate risk of suicide. Over 1,000,000 people worldwide have taken the workshop. ASIST 11.1 is the most recent version of ASIST and was released in June 2013. 

 

Who is it for?

ASIST is suitable for everyone including community members, mental health professionals, nurses, managers, teachers, counsellors, youth workers, charity workers, emergency service personnel, prison officers, armed forces and faith leaders. No previous mental health or suicide prevention experience is necessary.

 

What are the workshop features?

• Presentations and guidance from two LivingWorks registered trainers

• A scientifically proven intervention model

• Powerful audio-visual learning aids

• Group discussions

• Skills practice and development

• A balance of challenge and safety

• Participant materials include a 20-page workbook, wallet card, and stickers. Participants also receive a certificate upon completing the workshop.

 

ASIST 11.1 teaches participants to:

• be open, honest and direct about suicide,

• exercise care in expressing their own values about suicide,

• do whatever they can to respect a person at risk's decision-making rights,

• appreciate the importance of letting the person at risk talk about suicide,

• appreciate that some part of a person at risk wants to live,

• value collaboration with the person at risk,

• consider things that might threaten the person at risk’s safety,

• develop a plan that fits the immediate safety needs of the person at risk, and,

• make sure that the person at risk understands the plan and is committed to carrying it out.

 

How do I book on a course?

Current planned course dates are shown here. For enquiries about course cost or to register your interest in attending a course in the future please contact us here. This will send an email to our administration office who will get in touch with you.  

 

Please do not book any travel or accommodation until you have received an email from us confirming you have been allocated a place on a course. 

 

Testimonials

 

ASIST Workshop 1-2 Mar 2023

Amazing workshop, really took me out of my comfort zone. I will recommend not only to my work colleagues, but my personal friends.

Thank you for your time. Really relevant and applicable at work and home. Delivered in a fun, interactive and sensitive way.

Very good training and instructors.

Thank you for an informative course.

It was great. a lot of interaction and different scenarios.

Great workshop and really helps with my work as a paramedic.

Really good course. Enjoyed the practical element. A relaxed atmosphere.

Really knowledgeable trainers. Great course, very worthwhile doing.

A really well presented and relevant workshop. I can see how this would benefit my job role.

I found the training extremely helpful for 999 & 111 call handlers.

ASIST Workshop 9-10 Nov 2022

I would highly recommend this workshop to others and scored it 10 out of 10.

Really informative course providing a really good insight  to help me prepare should I ever need to use these skills to help someone.

Trainers were easily approachable and friendly. Trainers checked in to ensure participants were all safe, very gently and regularly.

This workshop will have practical use in my work life.

I found the workshop very interesting and informative. The trainers were very engaging and made a course on a difficult subject very enjoyable.

This was a great course which I think should be mandatory for all road shift staff within the SECAMB Service. 

great addition to me skill set and now better able to support people.

Steve & Cheryl were informative, professional and I thoroughly enjoyed the course. Will recommend to others.

Lovely clear course, time to practice and reflect. 

ASIST Workshop 4-5 May 2022

Thank you for this course. It was incredibly useful in both my educator and clinical roles to support those experiencing the challenges of suicide.

Brilliant course, all SECAMB staff should be invited to attend this training.

Rolling this out within SECAMB service could be a very useful part of our suicide reduction and staff wellbeing plans.

Excellent skills, knowledge and very engaging course. Overall excellent. Well done the instructors.

Excellent course thank you Steve and Cheryl.

Very engaging, sensitively done. Good mix of powerpoint and practical.

Really good very informative, thank you.

An excellent course, well delivered. Lots of engagement and practical skills. Really enjoyable and valuable.

ASIST Workshop 11-12 Feb 20

Very professionally delivered course, interesting and varied subject matter which was both thought provoking, engendered good contributions from the course cohort and, I feel would enable me to conduct a suicide intervention.

The course was well presented by Steve and Cheryl and it has set me up well for my job role with a great amount of confidence.

Very useful and practical knowledge, which has real value I believe in the community.

I think the course is really worthwhile doing. I hope not to have to use the skills, but if I do need to, I will feel prepared.

I found the course very useful and have gained a valuable insight into how I could put this into practice.

I was recommended this course, and will now recommend to Essex Foster Care.

very good course.

Excellent course that has given me a firm framework to structure my suicide intervention.

Very informative and worthwhile course. Really enjoyed it and feel equipped to move forward in my work and personal life.

Extremely helpful and friendly instructors.

Fantastic course, would recommend to anyone.

An excellent insight into a very emotive and difficult subject. The instructors got the salient points across and ensured the class fully understood the implications of the ASIST course.

ASIST Workshop 18-19 Oct 19

The feedback from the Outreach team was that the training was useful, relevant and has informed practice and the delivery of interventions in relation to high risk clients. It was a lot to cover over 2 days but I felt the two of you made the training interactive, involved and even though it is an emotive and difficult subject, it was enjoyable. Thank you for your time and professionalism.

The ASIST workshop has provided me with a model structure I can utilise in my professional role on a regular basis and reassured me in my ability to work with suicide. Should be available to all client facing RBL employees.

This training should be available to all personnel, and is essential and will save lives.

Excellent and I would highly recommend to others.

Excellent course. The process and terminology was useful.

Very good. Comprehensive, well delivered and would recommend to all.

Excellent content, lots of good information and practical work. Trainers have lots of knowledge and experience.

Great course. Very good delivery of a difficult subject.

Well run and informative. I have gained skills that I can use in the workplace and in my personal life.

ASIST Workshop 1-2 Oct 19

An excellent course with great instructors.

Really helpful course, feel much more confident with the subject of suicide.

Well presented by the trainers. Found safe practice exercises difficult, but feel more confident if someone told me they were thinking of suicide that I could now do an intervention.

Really well delivered an d will be useful in my role with the charity. Thank you.

Great course. Very informative and trainers passionate about the subject and very knowledgeable.

Very good training and great support.

The instructors were very aware of participants feeling emotionally vulnerable an d reacted well when needed. I felt very well supported.

Very helpful course, which has helped me understand suicide better than just my own personal experience.

A difficult subject put across in a very safe way. Both instructors know their stuff. Would highly recommend.

ASIST Workshop 13-14 Aug 19

Great trainers - great pace to the programme which catered for lots of different workshop and learning styles. Thank you both trainers. I hope I never have to use what I have learnt, but feel confident about approaching someone, and I hope I can help someone in need.

Great instructors, which made it easy to engage with the course.

Really helpful workshop and I feel comfortable now with the word 'suicide'.

I felt it was a really useful course, intense, but I got a lot from it.

Great workshop trainers, and great important discussions. Really engaging and highly valuable.

Really valuable learning workshop; while the safe practice was tough, it has really made me learn a lot and helped my confidence.

Great structure and content. 

The safe practice was really valuable.

Wonderful course and wonderful trainers.

This course was incredible. I would highly recommend everyone to complete.

Brilliant trainers. The course went at a good pace and was very engaging. Thank you!

Both Steve and Cheryl were amazing trainers. The 2-days flew by and I am really grateful to have leant from them.

The number and frequency of breaks was good, the trainers were excellent and the safe practice was very helpful.

Both trainers delivered the training very well, explaining situations clearly and were perfect.

Really enjoyed the workshop, learnt a lot.

Content was good and the trainers presented the material well.

ASIST Workshop 10-11 Jun 19

Very positive course. I now feel more prepared to deal with these situations

Excellent course, excellent instructors.

Great workshop, very interactive. Lots of learning.

very worthwhile training.

Very productive course, which has helped me in gaining confidence in dealing with suicide situations.

Thoroughly enjoyed.

Both trainers clearly know their chosen topic well.

Enjoyed the course. Gives extra information which can be useful in my workplace as a police Sgt. Would recommend to others.

Very enjoyable, useful and worthwhile course. Trainers were very knowledgeable and professional. Would definitely recommend.

A real eye opener.

I enjoyed the course and feel I was provided with the knowledge and support needed to be in a good position to help a person contemplating suicide. Thank you!

At the start of day-1, my hope was to become more aware of how and when to intervene and with the help of the instructors- I've done exactly that. An intense yet very interesting course. So glad I was given the opportunity to attend.

ASIST Workshop 17-18 Jan 19

I didn't really know what to expect. I did wonder if it may have felt slightly 'depressive' due to the subject. However the course was excellent, enlightening and also uplifting. I felt it was very honest and open and really like this type of teaching, so thank you.

Well delivered and insightful course.

Looking forward to using these skills as a warden to guide students.

I think having a clear model is very helpful. Very empowering, encouraging people to reach out to people. 

Very useful and informative course that can be utilised within the workplace and wider community. .

Extremely useful for work.

Brilliant course, good delivery and has helped me reflect on things personally and professionally.

I found the training extremely useful and will definitely use this in my job. Both trainers were very professional and easy to get along with.

Great trainers, great course!

Absolutely brilliant! Will definitely be recommending.Very eye opening and applicable in lots of ways. The pathway is very useful!

Great delivery to ensure group safety on a difficult topic. The framework really helps to give confidence in starting and finishing a conversation.

ASIST Workshop 30-31 Oct 18

Excellent 2-day workshop and the instructors were outstanding.

Really good course, helpful, a massive eye opener, fun but professional at all times. The trainers took great amounts of passion in the training they delivered.

very good training thank you.

The video helped me understand things better and the Safe practice on day 2 was really helpful and brought everything together.

Great course.

The course was good and educational. I felt like I really learned a lot and the instructors were easy to follow for each different lesson.

Very good interaction and teaching methods.

A well run course at exactly the right level. Very informative.

Good logical structure of lessons. Good workshop tasks and activities.

Excellent course delivery and content. I learnt how to handle the situation of a potential suicide risk and feel confident after the safe practice.

I find this course enlightens people on how high suicide levels are and how many people actually think of it. It's a great course and very eye opening into the subject and I feel definitely more prepared. 

This course has made me more interested in exploring mental health and how to help people emotionally.

ASIST Workshop 2-3 Sep 18

Really enjoyed it, good use of regular breaks as heavy going - really good to have a model to use - Thanks.

Very good content. Needs to be rolled out everywhere! Thanks to Steve and Cheryl.

I am happy it needed two full days to cover everything at a steady uncrushed pace. The instructors were informative and engaging.

Excellent course, extremely educational. I definitely have more confidence now to work with my clients in an 'at risk situation'. Thank you.

Excellent workshop, knowledgeable, professional and interactive trainers. Would recommend course to others.

The course has helped me feel confident in completing a suicide intervention, in and out of work. Both trainers were very knowledgeable.

This course has given me confidence and the ability to better support service users at the mental health charity where I work and also people in the wider community.

Superb trainers. Really enjoyed the delivery, will take all of this away.

Both trainers were knowledgeable and helpful. Enjoyed the course greatly. Lots of detail about theory and practical application.

Good knowledge, great tips to have prompting question on computer at work and the little handout for purse.

Really helpful, definitely feel more comfortable now.

Out of my comfort zone, which was excellent. Liked the Safe Practice, which is a first, as felt very supported by the trainers to do this!

Thank you, this course is very helpful. 

ASIST Workshop 14-15 Aug 18

Very insightful training and powerful. Trainers extremely knowledgeable! Thank you.

Excellent content, good use of theory, films discussion and practical exercises.Engaging, focused helpful tutors.

An excellent course.

This workshop has practical use in my life.

Very engaging and enjoyable. Testing 'safe practice' on second day, but was useful for retention.

Great trainers!

I would strongly recommend this training to others.

Really enjoyed the workshop.

Having attended the ASIST workshop I feel prepared to help a person at risk of suicide.

Thank you!

ASIST Workshop 25-26 Jan 18

I thought that the workshop was really useful, clear and practical. Having a really clear, simple and practical model to take away will be invaluable for the future.

Great workshop. I particularly liked the safe practice. Thank you Steve and Cheryl. 

This training was FANTASTIC! Steve and Cheryl were both very knowledgeable, training style was excellent and engaging. Very practical examples, would highly recommend.

The practicals and safe practice exercises on day 2 were nerve-wracking, but beneficial. Delivery by Steve and Cheryl was great, engaging and supportive.

The videos really helped to create the characters and the situations and were a good discussion tool.

It opened my mind about how to approach the issue. How to deal in a better way and there's no wrong answers.

I found the training very useful, especially day 2 during the safe practice, I think it helped me to retain what we'd learnt. 

This is a really insightful course. It's intensive but has made me feel much more confident in handling these situations. The practice sessions on day 2 were great and I learned a lot.

Thank you so much for the amazing and very professional training.

Enjoyable course, the safe practice whilst painful was very useful.

Excellent course.

A tough two days, but good content and new skills learned.

Very useful and practical. Both trainers were excellent.

ASIST Workshop 10-11 Jan 18

Fantastic, good course but great instructors. 

Very worthwhile course with excellent, empathetic presenters.Clear teaching methods, enjoyed the video clips, feel proud.

Excellent course very well delivered. Scenario safe practice challenging but extremely worthwhile.

The training was open and comfortable. By drawing from others people's experiences make it applicable.

Providing more simulations than just work is great as it made me think about my different roles outside of work.

Excellent instruction.

I felt the course took me out of my comfort zone and gave me more confidence with scenarios. The instructor was very supportive. 

I really enjoyed the course and will use it in my work life.

Brilliant, engaging and useful workshop. Even though I have lots of experience working with suicide already, I still felt like I learned a lot from the trainers and others on the course and it solidified previously acquired skills.

Brilliant, thank you.

Good indepth training with knowledgeable trainers. Very useful and I plan on promoting the course to others.

Great course, highly recommend to all.

ASIST Course 11-12 Sep 17

It was really good, would highly recommend.

Interesting course, quite harrowing at times.

The workshop was extremely useful and helps to give logical framework to work from when dealing with such a sensitive issue.

Very engaging, good pace, never too fast or too slow.

Very informative, good safe practice days

This is a very good course and has created an awareness about suicidal tendencies in our community.

Great workshop

I found the 2 day course a great experience and learnt a lot of useful tools to help assist someone in need of help.

The trainers were fantastic, very engaging and supportive.

There were useful parts of the course and worthwhile strategies to potentially use in future cases

ASIST Course 22-23 Aug 17

Outstanding instructors who explained the course at a very high standard. I would recommend the course to colleagues in the future. I now have the skills to help others who contemplate suicide.

Fantastic trainers, they made a very safe environment where participants could openly discuss suicide without judgement. 

Thank you for a wonderful course. The instructors are a great team and compliment each other. 

Very interesting course which has provided me with the necessary skills to intervene if a person was at risk. Great instruction with great instructors.

Excellent instructors, kept the class on track and focused with very good interaction in the discussions. Course content was excellent and very relevant. 

Well worth it!

Excellent course delivered by two expert instructors who took the time to explain everything in a thorough, patient and professional manner. I have learned so much and now feel confident to carry out an intervention.

Both instructors delivered the training at the perfect pitch, this may not have been easy with such a diverse audience. I feel more confident with the new skill set and tools I've been given, in dealing with suicide.

Deep and moving course but very worthwhile, Excellent delivery.

Exceptional, really, really exceptional. Good trainers, their energy throughout was vital in getting us through the more challenging parts. The content was good too, thought provoking and necessary.

Great course, so much more than I expected.

The instructors handled a very challenging group of learners really well. Humour and respect very impressed. I was better then I expected and very challenging. 

ASIST Course  29 - 30 Nov 16

Brilliant way of delivering ASIST training. It's informative and real helps put training into practice.

Very informative and interactive.

Before this training I would avoid talking about suicide and if someone needed help I wouldn't know how to react, but now I do.

I feel more confident in my job role now that I have done the ASIST training and would recommend to others.

 Good practical course, I know I would be able to help someone with this training. Great teachers.

Superb! This should be run everywhere. This is not just for professionals, but normal Line Managers and HR teams should have this.

Trainers are challenging but sympathetic and it is clear they both are exceedingly knowledgeable.

The instructors were just awesome, they have done a great job. Keep it up guys.

Very interesting, glad i was on the course.

Instructors were very good at helping us to make the right decision when confronted by someone who has suicidal thoughts.

Probably the best course I have ever completed, very clear, we must talk about suicide. 

ASIST Course 8 - 9 Nov 16

Great Course. Very helpful and relevant to our work.

The workshop is so good, I really feel it should be available to more people. 

A very enjoyable course explained well by both instructors, thank you.

The instructors are great and so personable, they made me feel comfortable.

Good teaching, explained everything so I got a proper understanding of what I need to know and how best to do it.

It was a very enjoyable  and informative course.

Was a very interesting course which I enjoyed. 

ASIST Course 13-14 Apr 16

Both instructors very knowledgeable and made the course interesting

Well presented in a relaxed environment

I would recommend to others

Changed my personal perception about suicide, which has made a difference to my future thinking about helping / advising if needed

The transition from theory to practical exercises was daunting to me, but absolutely key to assisting my self-confidence. An excellent course

The workshop has made me more confident to ask the question 'are you thinking about killing yourself'

A very enjoyable course. It certainly gives you food for thought

Great interaction and patience from the instructors

A very useful course

Great combination of films, group participation and handouts; found it thoroughly worthwhile

Very interesting course, brought out a lot of emotions, good and positive to coin a few. Found it very enjoyable and gained some experience

ASIST Course 8 - 9 Mar 16

Great content, excellent delivery

I feel better prepared to manage a person at risk of suicide having completed this course

Thoroughly enjoyed the course. Well taught, practical and easy to follow

This course has taught me a lot and given me confidence to try and help anyone in the future

I leave this course with a very positive attitude, a great course and well delivered

Delivered in an easy relaxed atmosphere ASIST would be useful for all establishments who are in contact with vulnerable adults

Delivered at the correct pace, good clear instruction

Excellent instructors, friendly open and very professional

Common sense, logical and appropriate training style used

I have found the course interesting and informative The PAL model is an excellent tool and makes perfect sense

ASIST Course 24 - 25 Feb 16

Excellent course and delivered exceptionally well.

Well worth attending and i would recommend to all

The safe practice exercises and feedback was excellent

The instructors were effective and communicated with all participants

Thank you, you have helped me to help others

Very good course. The instructors were good and came across as very professional

What an enlightening course. Presenters were very personable and knowledgeable

The PAL model has given me a very good structure to work from

ASIST Course 20 - 21 Jan 16

My instructors were engaging and enthusiastic throughout the course

A beneficial course, i have left with more confidence in this subject

A very useful and interesting course and i took a lot from it

The instructors were both professional and the content was exactly what i need

A great course, very helpful

Very well run course with excellent feedback

Excellent course