STORM Skills Training CIC

STORM® offers a range of suicide prevention and self-harm training courses. These courses aim to increase confidence and competence by enhancing the communication skills needed to engage someone in distress. This includes working collaboratively, reducing risk and safety planning to help prevent suicide.

STORM® also offer an additional postvention module which aims to develop skills and confidence in supporting those bereaved or affected by the death of someone by suicide.

Overview of training courses:

• Skills Training and Suicide Prevention
• Skills Training and Self-Harm
• Skills Training in Postvention and Preparedness (module)

Anyone can take these courses but they are predominantly aimed at individuals and organisations who work with service users and the wider public. This can include working with adults and children and young people. Courses are designed to suit the specific needs of these audiences.

Courses are flexible and can be delivered face-to-face or online.

STORM® also offer other training opportunities, these include:

• Reaching Out Workshops - learn how to engage with someone at risk of suicide before handing over to the emergency services or someone with more experience.
• Starting the Conversation Workshops - through self-refection, discussion and group work, participants will understand suicide and self-harm in relation to their professional experiences, develop a coherent understanding of what is necessary to help those at risk and identify strategies, practices and challenges to suicide prevention within their work.
• #HeyAreYouOK Workshops for Workplaces - equips workforces with the relevant skills to help look after their own mental wellbeing, and to reach out to someone in distress. Also provides the the opportunity to develop a work culture that more effectively manages and responds to distress.

Training packages have been designed to accommodate the needs of people with differing levels of engagement and responsibility for safety planning for both adults and children and young people. 

Training packages for both the adults and children and young people have 4 course levels to choose from:

• Basic – Simple intervention and signposting
• Level 1 – Basic assessment and safety planning
• Level 2 – Comprehensive assessment and safety planning
• Level 3 – Comprehensive assessment and safety planning – complex situations

Varies depending on course type and level – from 2 hours to 3 days plus.

With an academic and clinical background, STORM® know what works well in training and to help those in distress. Their packages are based on academic research and best practice with a focus on ‘real life’ experiences. Evidence underpins the content and methods of  training packages, and our unique formula is supported by academic research.

Research supports STORM®’s effectiveness across a range of audiences including frontline health and social care, volunteer workers, schools and higher education, and in prisons.

STORM® Research and Evaluation Studies:

• Gask, L., Coupe, N. & Green, G. (2019). An evaluation of the implementation of cascade training for suicide prevention during the ‘Choose Life’ initiative in Scotland. BMC Health Service Research, 19, 558. Available here.
• Gask, L., Coupe, N., McElvenny, D. & Green, G. (2017). Pilot study evaluation of suicide prevention gatekeeper training utilising STORM® in a British university setting. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 45(5), 593-605.  
• Robinson, J., Green, G., Spittal, M., Templer, K. & Bailey, E. (2016).  Impact and acceptability of delivering skills based training on risk management (STORM®) in Australian secondary schools. Health Behaviour and Policy Review, 3(10), 259-268.
• Gask, L., Lever-Green, G. & Hays, R. (2008). Dissemination and implementation of suicide prevention training in one Scottish region, 8, 246. Available here.
• Hayes, A., Shaw, J., Lever-Green, G., Parker, D & Gask L. Improvements to Suicide Prevention Training for Prison Staff in England and Wales. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 38(6), 708-713.
• Hayes, A. & Lever-Green, G. (2006). Developments in suicide prevention training for prison staff: STORM® and Beyond. The Journal of Mental Health Workforce Development, 1(4), 23-28. 
• Gask, L., Dixon, C., Morriss, R., Appleby, L. & Green, G. (2006). Evaluating STORM® Skills Training for managing people at risk of suicide. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 54, 739-750.
• Green, G. & Gask L. (2005). The development, research and implementation of STORM® (Skills-based Training on Risk Management). Primary Care Mental Health, 3(3), 207-213.
• Morriss, R., Gask, L., Webb, R., Dixon, C. & Appleby, L. (2005). The effects on suicide rates of an educational intervention for front-line health professionals with suicidal patients (the STORM® Project). Psychological Medicine, 35(7), 957-60.
• Droughton, J., Gask, L., Green, G., Dixon, C. (2004). The principles of establishing training courses in risk assessment and management. In, Duffy D, Ryan T, eds. New Approaches to preventing suicide: A manual for practitioners London. Jessica Kingsley. 
• Appleby, L., Morriss, R., Gask, L., Green, G. et al. (2000). An educational intervention for front-line health professionals in the assessment and management of suicidal patients (The STORM® Project). Psychological Medicine, 30(4), 805-812. 
• Morriss, R., Gask, L. & Battersby, L. et al. (1999). Teaching frontline health and voluntary workers to assess and manage suicidal patients. Journal of Affective Disorders, 52, 77-83.

For more information on the supporting evidence for STORM, click here.

To read feedback from STORM customers, please see ‘additional information’ at the bottom of this page.

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About STORM Skills Training CIC:

STORM is a Community Interest Company. Surplus income generated from training packages is reinvested into the community, this is done through a Community Engagement Programme. Some of their work includes; offering free and subsidised training, free conferences and seminars and small grants to support grass roots suicide prevention related work.

For feedback on STORM Skills Training CIC, see the linked report below.