A free online LGBTQ+ suicide awareness training course has been launched to help people in Liverpool and beyond feel more confident having careful, supportive conversations with someone who may be struggling.
The course has been developed by the Zero Suicide Alliance, in partnership with Liverpool City Council, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust and LGBTQ+ community contributors. It is aimed at people who want practical guidance on recognising distress, responding with empathy and reducing the fear of saying the wrong thing.
The training is now freely available through the Zero Suicide Alliance website.
Free training shaped by lived experience and clinical insight
The new LGBTQ+ Suicide Awareness Training brings together personal experience, community voices and clinical expertise. Its focus is not on turning learners into clinicians, but on helping them feel prepared to notice signs that someone may need support and to start a safer conversation.
Dr Claire Iveson, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Associate Director for Suicide Prevention, Quality Practice and Zero Suicide Alliance at Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, said many people hold back because they worry about using the wrong words.
She said the course aims to help people “reach in with care and compassion” so LGBTQ+ communities feel heard, respected and supported when they need help.
The training sits within the wider Zero Suicide Alliance programme of free suicide prevention learning. This course adds a specific LGBTQ+ focus, reflecting the role that stigma, discrimination and isolation can play in mental health risk.
Who the course is designed to support
The course is suitable for anyone who may be part of a support network: friends, relatives, colleagues, volunteers, community workers, public-facing staff and people in health, care, education or youth settings.
It may be especially useful for people who are not sure how to respond when someone discloses poor mental health, withdrawal, shame, loneliness or thoughts of suicide. The practical value is in building confidence before a crisis conversation happens.
For local readers interested in wider community mental health access, Munisha has also covered how Wigan residents are being connected to mental health services through a council-backed digital support tool.
Safer conversations start before someone reaches crisis point
Liverpool City Council said the course has been co-developed with LGBTQ+ people and supported by clinical expertise. Councillor Harry Doyle, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, said LGBTQ+ people can face discrimination, stigma and other challenges that affect mental health.
The aim is to create safer settings where people feel able to speak openly and seek help. In practice, that can mean knowing how to listen without judgment, avoiding assumptions about identity or experience, and taking signs of distress seriously.
Anne Marie Lubanski, Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director of Adult Care and Health at Liverpool City Council, said suicide prevention is a priority for the city. She said people within LGBTQ+ communities can face additional challenges, including stigma, discrimination and isolation.
The course has been commissioned by Liverpool City Council and developed with the Zero Suicide Alliance and Mersey Care. Its ambition is that people feel seen, supported and able to access help when they need it.
The wider Cheshire and Merseyside suicide prevention context
Dr Rory McGill, Director of Public Health at Sefton Council and lead Director of Public Health for Cheshire and Merseyside for Suicide Prevention, said shame and stigma can prevent people from reaching out.
He said the training brings lived experience and clinical insight together in a way that helps people recognise when someone may be struggling and respond with compassion.
Mike Skegg, founder of The Collaborative Network CIC, also contributed to the course. He said his own experience of losing a business partner showed how vital it is for people to feel able to talk openly about mental health.
The training is available free online via the Zero Suicide Alliance LGBTQ+ Suicide Awareness Training page.
Source: Liverpool City Council
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- Liverpool Express
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- Liverpool
- Updated
- 2026-06-07 23:31
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