I had no idea this many children attempted suicide. I thought my 10-year-old attempt was an anomaly, which I wished beyond anything would not befall another person that young. Unfortunately, I was wrong – but at least this raises awareness of the problem.
Schools for Hope has curriculum designed to prevent suicides by increasing the power most opposite to it: hope. Yes, this curriculum teaches hope, with both a fall curriculum and a spring one.
The fall curriculum is as follows (click the picture to go to the curriculum explanation):
I e-mailed the curriculum coordinators and hope that I can adapt this to the members I work with: individuals in the criminal justice system with mental illness and substance abuse disorders. The curriculum is geared towards children, but the simplistic design can be modified for all audiences, I believe. I’ll be keeping Schools for Hope informed on how it works for our members.