Expression of Interest - Skills for Safer Living Facilitator

Expression of Interest – Facilitator Opportunity

Are you interested in being a Facilitator for the Skills for Safer Living Program?

Background

Since 1999, this program has been developed with people who have lived experience of suicide. It has continued to evolve and is now called Skills for Safer Living (SfSL/PISA). The program supports people experiencing suicide‑related thoughts and behaviours, regardless of diagnosis. It acknowledges that suicidal thoughts reflect deep emotional pain, and suicide attempts show how overwhelming that pain can feel.

The goal of the program is to help reduce how long, how strong, and how often crises occur, and to help people stay as safe as possible—even if suicidal thoughts continue. It is based on an emotion‑focused approach: if people can better understand and identify their feelings, they can find more ways to cope with distress. The full program runs for 20 weeks and teaches a range of skills and concepts tailored to each person or group.

Format

Group sessions are 90 minutes long over a 20 week period. Groups may be offered both in person and virtually.

The sessions are facilitated cooperatively by a regulated health care professional and a peer with living/lived experience of suicide related thoughts and/or behaviours.  The facilitation team will receive weekly supervision from a supervisor knowledgeable in groups and suicide recognizing that facilitators may still be an active participant in their own healing journey.

Requirements:

Peer with Living/Lived Experience of Suicide Related Thoughts and/or Behaviours (PWLE) or a non- regulated professional with experience supporting people whom have made a serious suicide attempt.

OR

Designated with a Regulatory Body  (such as Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers [OCSWSSW], Registered Nurse or Registered Practical Nurse or other related regulatory body) 

Participate in the required five (5) days of training (May 25, 26 and June 1, 2, 3) – this training will be in person, in Peterborough

Can balance your role with the approximately ½ day per week required to deliver the training

These hours cannot be in addition to your regular hours and cannot incur Overtime.

Please discuss your interest with your manager prior to putting your name forward.

Be available to provide training in both Peterborough and KL

We are currently looking for 6 Non-Regulated or Peer and 8 Regulated Facilitators to facilitate the group sessions.  

You would be paid your normal hourly rate for the hours you provide the training.

Staff who complete this training will be required to participate in an internal collaborative initiative aimed at:

Contributing to the development of the CMHA HKPR suicide care service delivery model

Strengthening internal agency capacity by leading and actively engaging in team‑based discussions related to suicide care

If you are interested in this opportunity, please discuss with your manager to ensure you have the availability before submitting your expression of interest. 

Please note that this opportunity is only available to current CMHA HKPR employees. External applications will not be considered at this time.