PIPS Suicide Prevention Ireland Charity is here to provide counselling and befriending support to individuals who are experiencing or have experienced suicidal thoughts or mental unwellness. PIPS Charity also provides support to families and friends who have been touched by suicide.

Our life saving services provide direct support to individuals who are in need. We offer a free, confidential counselling service, with no restriction on the number of sessions provided. We also offer a crises walk in service in Belfast and a crisis telephone service at other locations during our opening hours.

Please reach out if you or anyone you know needs help, you are never alone!

Background

PIPS Charity seeks to deliver Suicide Prevention and Bereavement Support Services including Counselling, Crisis Support, Complementary Therapies, Befriending, one to one sessions, mentoring and support groups, sign posting to support organisations and home visits across Belfast and throughout Northern Ireland.

The organisation’s origins are linked to the unfortunate tragedy of 14 young people taking their own lives over a short period of time and the coming together of a range of stakeholders compelled to try to address the issue. The organisation began, and very much remains, a community led organisation with a strong grass roots led ethos to suicide prevention and self-harm.

PIPS Charity understands that everyone is different and we need to be able to offer an appropriate service to cater for individual needs. PIPS Charity is one of the few, if not the only suicide prevention organisation that offers an open door service with no appointment needed.

Since our foundation we have strived to combat the high levels of suicide throughout the various communities in Ireland by providing help and support to those families bereaved through a suicide or self-harm. We do this through the delivery of suicide prevention and bereavement support services, 1 to 1 counselling, befriending services, advocacy support and complimentary therapies and our client led ‘no appointment needed’ service. This ‘no appointment needed’ approach ensures there is always someone to contact for a chat when a person might feel vulnerable, might be at risk of suicidal behaviours or is simply in need of assistance. PIPS is their light in the dark.

When a person comes to PIPS for help, they will be spoken to immediately and a stay safe/support plan will be put in place. We have an open door policy; you will not have to wait days or weeks to see a counsellor/therapist. In addition to providing this immediate support, PIPS acts as a gateway to other services. We provide a wrap-around service so that nobody feels alone.

PIPS also provide a range of bespoke training programmes in the form of workshops, which raise awareness and provide individuals with intervention tools and knowledge on topics such as suicide prevention, self-harm, eating disorders, self-care and befriending. To date, these programmes have been delivered throughout Northern Ireland to a wide range of groups, including coaches, secondary school students, universities, charities, community activists and a range of private businesses.

We’re extremely lucky to be supported by the community over the years. People have carried out numerous events and fundraising activities, giving us the vital funds that allow us to keep our doors open, and continue providing these necessary life-saving services. We as a charity do not receive any core funding and are able to stay open and functioning by every person in the street who lends a hand.

As the demand for our services continues to grow, the community support and belief in our services has never waned and it is only through the generosity of members of the public and sponsors that we are able to continue our services.

Here at PIPS Charity, we can guarantee that families who have lost loved ones and people in crisis will always be at the heart of our work and their needs will always be paramount in our service delivery.

Our vision is to be recognized for the contribution we can make to preventing the loss of life, supporting families and helping building hope within our community and we do this by striving for a compassionate Society free from suicide.

We help individuals, families and organisations who have been affected by suicide or mental un-wellness and we do this by:

• Providing support and counselling services in an accessible and non-judgmental space for individuals to understand themselves and to better navigate their personal path in life
• Providing a neutral, compassionate and supportive environment by offering a space for peer groups to share their experiences of emotional challenges
• Working with organisations to nurture a culture of awareness and understanding of mental wellness, by providing specialist training and volunteering opportunities
• Working with local communities and government bodies to influence societal change with the aim to advance the understanding of suicide and mental wellness within Ireland

PIPS Board, staff, volunteers and families are working together to deliver on the following strategic Goals.

• To be recognised as a Provider of diverse high quality services which prevents suicide and promotes mental wellness throughout Ireland
• To evaluate and optimise organisational resources to ensure that a high quality of service is delivered consistently to all Stakeholders
• To increase public engagement and strengthen financial resilience in order to support our service delivery
• To influence societal policy and empower individuals and communities in the area of mental health

Our values describe the spirit of how we do business, they define our core belief and culture.

• We value active and non-judgemental listening to fully understand the needs of our clients and Stakeholders, to promote positive change.
• We value engaging with our clients and Stakeholders in a compassionate and empathetic manner, to deepen connections and support transformational change.
• We value the ability to be adaptable and flexible in an ever changing world, moving quickly and decisively.
• We value respect by accepting each individual for who they are which enables us to build strong relationships based on trust and safety.
• We value confidentiality as the foundation of maintaining trusting relationships with our Stakeholders, by handling all information with the utmost care, privacy and in keeping with ethical boundaries.
• We value our courage to do the right thing, influence societal change, by challenging the status quo and transforming our communities.
• We value our Commitment to Excellence in promoting mental wellness by maintaining the highest standards, by continually learning, improving and innovating.
• We value integrity as the fundamental basis of how we operate, by consistently behaving in a moral, ethical, transparent, accountable and honest manner.
• We value self-determination where individuals have the right to make their own decisions and choices, so that they become active participants in their own journey.

• PIPS Team will be excellent listeners who will provide compassionate support, guidance and empathy for our clients
• The Care Team will be well trained and knowledgeable about the resources available for the client, able to help the client elicit their state and needs and guide the clients appropriately and effectively towards high quality resources
• All members of the Care Team will be punctual and be good time-keepers in relation to their agreed time and length of calls with their clients
• PIPS Team will be polite and helpful to clients at all times
• PIPS Team will observe the PIPS Code of Practice at all times
• PIPS Team will attend regular continuous professional training and development
• All interactions are dealt with in strict confidence and in compliance with GDPR regulations
• At PIPS, we will ensure to always keep our clients and stakeholders informed and ensure you have all the information you need on the matters that effect you
• We will always be open and transparent about how we use our resources
• PIPS Team will communicate clearly, concisely, as often as required that is easily understood by everyone

The Board of Trustees are responsible for the administration of the charity and meet on a monthly basis. The Board has appointed an Executive Director to manage the day to day operations of the charity with responsibility for the operational matters, including employment, project delivery and budgetary management.

All new Trustees are given an induction by the Chair and the Executive Director and are provided with a comprehensive induction pack. Trustees are offered ongoing training throughout their tenure.

Thank you to our past and current Board Trustee’s for their valuable contributions. Their wise counsel and patient advice, especially at key turning points, which has allowed PIPS to flourish.

We have a very dedicated team of volunteers helping us deliver our support services and fundraising services during the year. Without their tireless commitment, it would be difficult to maintain this essential service to communities across Northern Ireland.

We wish to acknowledge their hard work and dedication and to thank them all for their continued support. The positive feedback we receive from the general public who use our services is down to the dedication of all our volunteers.