| 
Pips Project Biography
(By Philip McTaggart) Copyright©
2008
PIPS
BIOGRAPHY
Celebrating
life and giving
hope to live on
There are families
who have been to
Hell and back when
their loved one
dies by suicide.
The lights
go out. God
is absent. Then
a knock often comes
to their door and
someone battered
by a suicide close
to them, is there.
These people
both comfort and
heal and will do
anything to save
another person from
suicide. Not
having a life belt
to throw – they
give themselves
as lifesavers. I
know for certain
that PIPS in its
short life has saved
many lives. A
person from PIPS
walks on holy ground
because if God is
anywhere it is in
their support and
hope offered to
go on living
Fr. Aidan
Troy CP
PIPS was established
in 2003 following
the suicides of
13 young people
under the age of
18, in the area
of North Belfast.
Philip
McTaggart who lost
his young son Philip
17 (PIP) to suicide
at this time had
realized that there
wasn’t any type
of help or support
available, for either
those in crisis
or families bereaved
through suicide.
He had a letter
published in the
local paper asking
anyone who was suffering
a crisis or feeling
suicidal, especially
young people, to
please talk to someone
and try to get some
help. At a meeting
of the Health Action
Zone (HAZ) Philip
and Jo Murphy met
up and a partnership
was established
which would go some
way to helping others
who found themselves
in a dark place.
Philip &
Jo worked along
side Joe Doherty,
Joe Barnes, and
Caron Donnelly to
establish an organisation
that would go some
way to try and fill
the gap in services
for both those in
crisis and bereaved
families. Philip’s
son was commonly
known by his nickname
PI P the name chosen
for the suicide
prevention organisation.
The idea behind
this was to personalise
the organisation
and show that each
death by suicide
represented a lost
life and a devastated
family and was not
just another statistic.
PIPS is now
the official company
name, and is an
acronym for the
“Public Initiative
for the Prevention
of Suicide &
Self-harm”.
PIPS have successfully
implemented a dual
approach, targeting
those directly affected
by suicide and self-harm,
and the wider population
as a whole. Through
the direct delivery
of our services
to those in need
and the widening
of public awareness,
we have consistently
worked towards our
mission statement.
“To save lives
and support those
affected by suicide
and self-harm”
PIPS is a bottom
up approach to suicide
prevention and provides
support, advice
and information
at community level
regarding suicide,
self-harm, depression
and mental health
to ensure people
in the local community
have access to appropriate
services and are
receiving the best
possible service
with the most efficient
use of resources.
Wide ranges
of services are
coordinated from
our base in Duncairn
Gardens. PIPS
works with a range
of facilitators,
holding weekly support
groups for bereaved
families and self
harmers and responds
to those in crisis
through phone and
drop in services
at our offices which
have become the
hub of the organisation.
(PIPS House)
During the opening
of PIPS new house
the President of
Ireland Mary McAleese
paid tribute to
Pips for providing
“a place of hope,
education and respite”.
It has been the
energy and determination
of many, especially
family members that
had been the crux
of the organisation.
When Pip died,
it made absolutely
no sense to anyone
left behind and
left a dreadful
void in the family
life. Yet
through his death,
his father forged
a new movement that
would care for those
who have been bereaved
by suicide and also
those who have suicidal
thoughts. This
house will help
anyone affected
by this issue to
grow in their coping
skills that will
allow them to get
through the dark
cloud of not understanding
PIPS Support
Services
Counselling
Within PIPS we
have learned that
everyone is different
and we need to be
able to offer an
appropriate service
to cater for individual
needs. PIPS
offer a range of
counselling.
• Trauma
counselling
• Bereaved
family counselling
• Young
person’s counselling
• Crisis
counselling
• Workshops,
Art, Photography,
Computers and Self-esteem.
Therapies
We offer complimentary
therapies, in a
safe place to let
go of physical aches
and pains, allowing
a sense of relaxation,
a space to clear
and relax the mind.
Support
We run regular
support groups for
bereaved families
and for those who
self harm. PIPS
staff/volunteers
will endeavour to
be with a family
within 48 hours
were appropriated.
Welfare Rights
We hold a weekly
Welfare Rights Clinic,
for advice on benefits
and support.
Crisis Intervention
PIPS provide
responsive care
to those in need,
including accompanying
distressed individuals
to hospital for
psychiatric assessment
and attending crisis
home visits.
Signposting
We provide a
valuable link to
statutory services
and other relevant
agencies, signposting
families and carers
appropriately. Together
with the Protect
Life Strategy, PIPS
will continue to
raise the awareness
of suicide and wider
mental health matters
Information
Sessions
We deliver information
sessions and training
to raise awareness
of suicide and self-harm
in schools, prisons,
youth centres, local
communities alternative
education and health
provides,
Raise Awareness
PIPS continue
to raise awareness
of their work through
World Suicide Prevention
Day, Celebration
of Life Event, Christmas
Tree of Lights,
its concerts and
fundraising events.
Advocacy
PIPS have been
instrumental in
highlighting the
need to address
the problems of
suicide and self-harm
in a more strategic
way. We have
been a contributor
to the development
of the Protect Life
Suicide Prevention
Strategy (launce
in October 2006)
PIPS will continue
to work alongside
the necessary agencies
to highlight the
Protect Life Strategy.
Campaigning
PIPS will campaign
for the rights of
the family to excess
help and support
and to make sure
that everything
possible is done
to reduce the high
number of suicides.
To highlight
the issue of suicide
provide information
and awareness to
the wider community.
PIPS have aimed
to:
• Save
lives, offer advice
and support those
affected by suicide
and self-harm.
• Increase
the community’s
awareness around
issues about suicide
and self harm with
a view to reducing
the stigma of suicide
and encouraging
people to seek help.
• Inform
people about places
that offer help
in their area.
• Provide
information and
training through
PIPS Community Lifeguards
Training Programme.
The work of
PIPS involves:
• Working
with bereaved families,
who have lost a
loved one through
suicide, in helping
to support them
in coming to terms
with their loss
and their grief.
• Crisis
intervention for
those who are attempting
to and/or have previously
attempted to take
their own lives.
• Provision
of counselling and/or
complementary therapies
for all service
users of PIPS (i.e.
bereaved families,
self-harmers, carers
of self-harmers,
those feeling suicidal,
depressed or dealing
with emotional health
issues.
• Art
workshops, photography
classes, computer
classes, therapies
that can help people
talk about their
feels without sometimes
even knowing they
are helping themselves
move forward
• Welfare
rights
• Lobbying
and campaigning
for suicide strategies,
telephone helpline,
better care for
those at risk, TV
advertisements and
clear information.
• Anyone
who is feeling depressed
or suicidal to be
listened to and
treated with the
respect they deserve.
• New
implementation of
policies around
the issues of suicide
and self-harm.
• Assisting
communities in establishing
their own local
support networks
and groups. PIPS
have assisted in
establishing Independent
PIPS groups in Newcastle,
Newry & Mourne,
Ballynahinch, Lurgan
& Larne and
PIPS Dundalk
• Going
into communities
and schools to provide
awareness and training
around the issues.
• Working
to remove the social
stigma currently
attached to suicide,
self-harm, depression
and other mental
health issues.
• Develop
and provide our
new PIPS Community
Lifeguard Training
program to all our
communities helping
to save lives.
• PIPS
Community Lifeguard
Training, is the
only suicide prevention
training in Ireland
or Britain to have
OCN accreditation
and quality controlled.
Patrons of
Funds for PIPS
• Lord
Dijit Rana ( Hotelier)
• Michael
Lagan (Lagan Holdings)
• Frank
O’Donoghue (QC)
• Stephen
Prenter (BDO)
• Peadar
Quinn (Geda Construction)
• Nuala
McKeever (Playwright
/ Actress)
• Dr
Marian McLoughlin
(Veterinary
Consultant)
• Carol
Graham (Artist)
• Mr
John Mooney (Hotelier)
• Dr
Stan Papenfus (Clinical
psychologist)
• Mr
John McKendry (Nutrition
Services)
• Dr
Bill Smith (Author/Researcher)
• Ian
& Maureen Hutchinson
(Feed Compounders)
• Dr
Kevin Donaghy (Business
Consultant)
Lord Diljit
Rana.
Chairman and
Managing Director,
Andras House Ltd
"I regard
this as an immensely
significant project
that is making a
major contribution
to the efforts to
address one of the
most serious social
problems.
The project offers
an important support
network to families,
friends and the
wider community
that helps them
to surmount the
challenges and threats
of society today
commend PIPS
and urge everyone
to lend their support
to its work."
Carol Graham
(Artist and President
of the Royal Ulster
Academy of Arts)
When one becomes
"lost to oneself"
and words fail or
cannot be found,
suicide can seem
to be the only way
to silence the internal
clamour or end the
pain. This is when
visual creativity
can be a powerful
tool for safely
venting this intensity,
exploring it and
re-connecting to
the inner self.
#
Overwhelming
emotional traumas
or difficult life
transitions can
be reflected back
(to those in difficulties)
by their own images,
in a way that leads
to insight, self-understanding,
compassion and acceptance.
I have personal
experience of the
tremendous value
of this process
and will support
any efforts of PIPS
to facilitate what
can be a difficult
yet amazingly enriching
journey back to
what can be an expanded
sense of well being.
John Mooney
(Group Sales
and Marketing Director,
Mooney Hotel Group)
"Life is
lighter than a feather
but living can sometimes
be heavier than
a mountain“
I know that everyone
in PIPS tries to
help people climb
their mountains.
As members of
the public we can
help in many ways;
by giving each other
a sense of value/worth.
A donation to
this worthy cause
could be the difference
between life and
death."
Peadar Quinn
(Managing Director,
Geda Construction)
"Everyone
knows a family that
has been affected
by suicide and one
can only imagine
the sense of loss
felt afterwards.
This initiative
is working right
in there at the
coalface in the
proactive role of
prevention.
I therefore feel
that it deserves
the full support
of the business
community."
Michael Lagan
Group Managing
Director, Lagan
Group
My hope is that
PIPS and allied
groups can work
together with business
and government to
modify our education
system, so that
it focuses more
on the teaching
of life skills.
This would equip
individuals; families
and communities
to better recognise
and deal with life’s
challenges and emotional
imbalances.
This would result
in better mental
stability, happier
families and a more
effective workforce...”
Dr. Kevin
Donaghy
KPD Solutions
Ltd, Training and
Management Consultants
It is a pleasure
to be associated
with a Charity whose
foundation, focus
and funding helps
support the prevention
of suicide.
Watching my son
deal with the suicide
of his 13-year-old
friend brings a
shocking reality
to a phenomenon
we don’t fully understand.
The complete
contribution that
PIPS provide will
never be totally
appreciated. It’s
work will quietly,
sensitively and
professionally touch
and counsel the
lives of those who
have been bereaved
and may prevent
the death of your
father, daughter,
neighbour – or the
friend of your son.
What greater
cause for our support
could there be?
Have you
heard about PIPS
Training?
What? PIPS
Community Lifeguards
Suicide Prevention
Training programme
has been developed
by PIPS, a suicide
prevention charity
based in Belfast.
When? Training
lasts 5 hours including
breaks and is delivered
to suit participants’
schedules – either
one day from 10am
to 4pm or two half
days / evenings.
Where? Programme
venues vary to suit
participant’s location.
Group sizes
range from 15 to
30 and venue needs
to be big enough
to allow participants
to move around.
Why? The
training is aimed
at ordinary members
of the community
because suicide
can affect us ALL
and suicide prevention
should be EVERYBODY’S
business. With
local people trained
to be more aware
of the risk of suicide
and the sources
of help available,
the training
will make our communities
safer. Each
training programme
is tailored to make
it as relevant as
possible to participants.
This means that
statistics, helpline
numbers and sources
of local support
will always be relevant
to the area where
training takes place
and the particular
issues affecting
that community.
The good news
is that the training
is now OCN accredited
at Level 2 the only
suicide prevention
training in Ireland
or Britain to be
accredited. The
bad news however,
is that a registration
cost of £20 per
person is payable
to OCN for accreditation
fees and unfortunately
we do not have funds
to cover these costs.
If you would like
to pay for the OCN
qualification yourself
this is optional.
This would involve
staying at the training
until 5pm to complete
an assessment booklet
but you will receive
an OCN certificate
and a recognised
qualification.
The programme’s
aims are:
- To
reduce the stigma,
and the myths,
around suicide
- To
increase the
general public’s
understanding
of Government
suicide prevention
strategies
- To
increase the
general public’s
awareness around
the extensive
support available
to those at
risk of suicide
- To
help participants
identify warning
signs that a
person may be
at risk of suicide
- To
develop a clearer
understanding
of the different
groups who may
be at higher
risk of suicide
- To
develop an understanding
in the general
public that
many people
who are at risk
will not access
the help available
unless supported
in doing so.
- To
reduce the fear
in the general
public of helping
someone at risk
by providing
a listening
ear and linking
to available
help
- To
introduce simple
ways of developing
positive mental
health within
participants.
How? Participants
work in groups for
discussions, exercises
and games. Video
interviews, interactive
video role-plays,
visual games and
animated graphics
ensure that learning
is delivered in
a variety of ways.
To ensure that
PIPS Community Lifeguards
Training is available
as widely as possible
and to all communities,
we always endeavour
to help source funding
to cover training
fees.
Testimonials
for past participants:
“We found this
to be a very worthwhile
and useful training
course. The course
has a good mixture
of information delivery
and interactive
exercises to bring
issues to life.
Suicide is a difficult
and emotive topic,
but during this
course, participants
were encouraged
to examine their
thoughts and feelings
regarding suicide.
By the end of the
course, all of our
Support Providers
reported that they
felt better equipped
and more confident
in engaging with
someone who may
be suicidal. The
Look, Listen &
Link model provides
an easy reference
on what key steps
should be taken
and reassures that
you don't have to
be an expert or
have all the answers
to help save someone's
life. We would whole
heartedly recommend
others to do this
course.”
Emma Jackson,
Project Manager,
Register of Support
Providers, UUJ
"I found
the course interesting
and extremely useful
for our church workers.
It was well presented
and helpful in the
information provided."
Pastor Alan
Stephens,
Church of God
Glenmacha
For more information
please contact Philip
at:
PIPS Training
187 Duncairn
Gardens
Belfast
BT15 2GF
Tel: 02890 755
070 / 07732350325/
Email:
pipmct@hotmail.com
www.pipstraining.com
www.pipsproject.com
SUICIDE
IS EVERYONE’S BUSINESS
(By Philip McTaggart) Copyright©
2008
|
