On
your
SIDE
A suicide prevention toolkit
for PEOPLE IN SPORT
SPORT CAN BE A LIFELINE
FOR PEOPLE AT RISK OF SUICIDE
Our vision is to make suicide prevention as much a part of sport as warm-ups, training and performance: normal, practical and accessible, rather than something dealt with only during a crisis. Whether you are an individual or an organisation, everyone in sport, from grassroots to elite, has a role to play in preventing suicide. This Toolkit will give you and your organisation the confidence, knowledge, skills and expertise to take action, influence positive change and help everyone thrive in your sports environment.
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Download the Toolkit PDF and the British Standard below.
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About the toolkit
The Toolkit is for anyone involved in sport who wants to better understand their role in suicide prevention. It is designed to build confidence, knowledge, skills and expertise, helping individuals and organisations understand what works and how to take action.
It explains how you can:
- Create safe and supportive environments where people feel able to speak up and support others in distress
- Make suicide prevention part of everyday practice, including policies and ways of working
- Educate those within your organisation, from raising awareness to responding to someone in crisis
- Put clear procedures in place for responding to crisis situations and providing support after a suicide
Together, these actions can make sporting environments not just places to perform and connect, but places where people feel safe and supported and know what to do to help prevent suicide.
The Toolkit can be used across all sporting environments, from local clubs to sports academies and elite organisations, regardless of size, structure, or level. It is relevant to everyone involved in sport, including players, coaches, staff, volunteers, families and spectators. It does not replace legal responsibilities, but it can strengthen how organisations meet their duty of care.
Sport is as much about participation, community and discipline as it is about winning and performance. Sport can be both challenging and rewarding. It can bring frustration, disappointment and pressure, but also joy, connection, and a sense of achievement. These experiences don’t just affect players – they extend to families, volunteers, supporters, and wider communities.
Sport has the power to reach people from all walks of life, including those at higher risk of suicide. The Toolkit supports individuals to recognise and respond to someone in need, while helping sports organisations use the strengths of sport to reduce risk factors and create supportive environments for everyone involved.
The Toolkit has been co-produced in partnership with The Royal Foundation, British Standards Institution and Chasing the Stigma following sports sector research conducted by Thinks Insight & Strategy. Informed by a wide range of partners from across the suicide prevention and sports sectors, it tailors the content from the British Standard into a practical tool for the sport sector.
The British Standards Institution’s standard BS 30480 ‘Suicide and the workplace – intervention, prevention and support for those affected by suicide’ was co-produced with over 70 organisations and individual contributors. The Standard emphasises that suicide prevention isn’t just about individuals; it’s about how organisations show up for their people and play their role in suicide prevention. That means creating safe spaces, training people to know what to do, and continuing to learn and improve.
AFFECTED BY SUICIDE
People experiencing thoughts of suicide or suicide behaviours; people in contact with them in their sports setting; those bereaved or affected by the suicide of a colleague or person they know, including where the contact occurs as part of their work; and those who witness a suicide or suicide attempt.
ANXIETY
Emotional state which can affect both thinking and physical health and often occurs in response to an actual or perceived threat to health, life or general wellbeing.
DEPRESSION
Persistent feelings of sadness, low mood, or hopelessness, and loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed, for at least two weeks.
INDIVIDUAL SAFETY PLAN
Personalised plan, outlining coping strategies, support contacts and emergency steps to help an individual manage thoughts of suicide and/or suicide behaviours and stay safe (for a template, refer to BS 30480).
MENTAL HEALTH
Psychological state, on a spectrum of good to bad, affecting an individual’s ability to cope with usual or unforeseen disappointments and stresses in life, and to work productively, maintain healthy relationships and contribute to their community.
STIGMA
Negative attitudes or beliefs directed toward individuals or groups or felt by the person themself, based on perceived differences or characteristics. Addressing stigma may involve repositioning what we think of as strength and weakness in sport.
ACCESS TO MEANS
The level of availability of methods used to die by suicide. The degree to which certain means are lethal, and their ease of access, can significantly impact the outcome of a suicide attempt. Restricting access might delay the actions, provide opportunities for intervention and reduce the lethality of an attempt.
THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE
Thinking about ending your life.
SELF-HARM
Intentional self-injury or self-poisoning regardless of motivation or suicide intent. Individuals might not always have a clear understanding of their motivations or intent; some might be ambivalent about whether they want to live or die. Motivations and intent might change.
