Suicide Prevention
Suicide is the biggest killer of young people aged 35 and under in the UK. We believe that suicide is preventable. PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide was founded in 1997 by a group of bereaved parents, who had each lost a child to suicide.
Our founding parents shared core beliefs that suicide is preventable, and that those of us with lived experience of suicide have a valuable and unique contribution to make to the wider conversation around suicide.
Our stories, and those of our children and young people, create an important narrative which can help change society, protect life and prevent future suicides. In the last few years, the rate of young suicide in the UK has been increasing. We want to support, equip, influence and engage with communities across the UK, through training, awareness raising and policy change, to reduce the number of young suicides and to ENABLE LIFE.
“Suicide is the biggest killer of young people aged 35 and under in the UK.”
Our Vision
PAPYRUS envisions a society which speaks openly about suicide and has the resources to help young people who have suicidal thoughts.
Our Mission
PAPYRUS exists to reduce the number of young people who take their own lives, by shattering the stigma surrounding suicide and equipping young people and their communities with the skills to recognise and respond to emotional distress. We believe that no young person should have to struggle alone with thoughts of suicide.
Values and Beliefs
PREVENTION: Many young suicides are preventable.
PASSION: Those who are touched personally by a young suicide have a unique contribution to make to our work.
HOPE: No young person should have to suffer alone with thoughts or feelings of hopelessness, and nobody should have to go through the heartbreak of losing a young person to suicide.
LEARNING: Everyone can play a role in preventing young suicide.
