World Suicide Prevention Day 2026

Creating Conversations, Building Connections: Suicide Prevention Awareness at CHRIST University, Lavasa

“A conversation can be the first step towards hope.”

On the occasion of World Suicide Prevention Day, 10 September 2026, the Centre for Counselling and Health Services (CCHS), CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Pune Lavasa Campus, undertook a student-led suicide prevention awareness initiative across the campus. The initiative was designed to move beyond simply sharing information and instead create opportunities for students to pause, recognise signs of emotional distress, and understand that reaching out for support is both possible and important.

As part of the initiative, Health Ambassadors from the student body prepared and presented an awareness presentation on World Suicide Prevention Day. The presentation focused on creating awareness around suicide prevention, encouraging students to recognise signs of emotional distress, and highlighting the importance of seeking timely support.

The Health Ambassadors also visited classrooms and engaged with their peers through brief interactions of approximately 5–10 minutes. This peer-led approach enabled the conversation to take place within familiar classroom spaces, making an otherwise sensitive topic more approachable and accessible to students.

From Awareness to Action

A central component of the initiative was ensuring that awareness translated into clear pathways for help and support.

The Health Ambassadors shared important support and emergency contact numbers with students, including the contact details of student representatives from the Mental Health Cohort, CHRIST University emergency services, and campus counsellors. By providing students with specific points of contact, the initiative aimed to ensure that students knew not only how to recognise distress, but also where to reach out when support was needed.

The activity reinforced an important message: one does not need to have all the answers to support someone who may be struggling. Recognising a change in a friend's behaviour, listening without judgement, and helping them connect with an appropriate support system can be meaningful first steps.

Suicide prevention therefore becomes a collective responsibility. Peers, educators, counsellors, student representatives, and institutional support systems all have a role to play in creating an environment where students feel safe to speak about their experiences and seek help when required.

Students as Partners in Well-being

One of the significant strengths of the initiative was its student-led approach. Rather than positioning suicide prevention solely as a conversation between mental health professionals and students, the programme enabled students themselves to become active participants in spreading awareness.

The Health Ambassadors served as a bridge between formal support systems and the wider student community. Their involvement demonstrated the value of **peer education in promoting mental health literacy, reducing stigma, and encouraging help-seeking behaviour.

Students are often among the first to notice when a peer is withdrawing, experiencing emotional distress, or struggling to cope. While students are not expected to act as counsellors, equipping them with basic awareness and clear referral pathways can strengthen the network of support surrounding their peers.

Addressing Mental Health Across Contexts

The initiative responded to a need that exists at multiple levels.

At the local level, it addressed the need for greater mental health awareness within the university community and increased students' familiarity with the counselling and emergency support systems available on campus.

At the regional and national levels, the activity contributed to the broader need for reducing stigma around mental health and suicide, particularly among young adults. Promoting mental health literacy, encouraging early help-seeking, and ensuring awareness of available services are important aspects of strengthening suicide prevention efforts.

At the global level, the initiative reflected the continuing international emphasis on suicide prevention, mental health awareness, timely intervention, and community-based support. It recognised suicide prevention not simply as an individual concern, but as a shared responsibility involving individuals, peers, institutions, families, professionals, and communities.

Creating a Culture of Reaching Out

Suicide prevention cannot be limited to a single awareness day or a single presentation. It requires an ongoing culture of attentiveness, connection, and support.

The classroom interactions conducted by the Health Ambassadors created an opportunity for students to engage with the subject in a brief but meaningful manner. More importantly, the activity ensured that students were left with concrete information about whom they could approach during moments of emotional difficulty or crisis.

The initiative also reinforced the idea that seeking support is not a sign of weakness. Reaching out early can be an important step towards navigating emotional distress, accessing professional help, and preventing a difficult situation from becoming a crisis.

Through this initiative, CCHS and the Health Ambassadors reaffirmed the importance of noticing, listening, speaking up, and knowing where to seek help.

As the campus community continues to grow, so does the responsibility to create an environment in which students feel seen, supported, and able to reach out without fear of judgement.

Sometimes, prevention begins with something as simple as asking, “Are you okay?” and being willing to stay for the answer.