Prevent male suicide

In 2012 76% of suicides in the UK were men. With suicide the biggest threat to life of men aged 20-49, there needs to be a focus on prevention. Teach boys and young men how to deal with emotions, and to ask for help. Take PSHE education seriously.

To see how education could affect suicide, follow the below link and watch a 5 minute video. Please imagine lessons centred on this video.

http://www.upworthy.com/theres-something-absolutely-wrong-with-what-we-do-to-boys-before-they-grow-into-men

Please also look at the below list of topics covered in PSHE and imagine how high quality education in these areas could impact diverse social problems. Imagine how good management of emotions in everyone could impact diverse social problems.

PSHE teaches life skills around:

P- Personal well-being: confidence building and positive thinking; empathy, communication skills, personal relationships, friendship, anger management, conflict resolution, domestic abuse, sex education, pornography, body image, personal safety

S- Social well-being: racism, sexism, homophobia, religious hatred, disability, the influence of the media, social and moral dilemmas

H- Health: drugs and alcohol, healthy lifestyles: the importance of food, exercise and sleep; mental health

E- Economic wellbeing: money management: debt and budgeting; aspirations and career guidance; further education, time management and personal organisation skills

PSHE is currently compulsory up to Key Stage 3 but there is no requirement as to how much is provided. The extreme pressure on teachers to push exam results up league tables, with pay now reliant on exam success, forces them to focus on their subject specialism. Though lots of excellent PSHE is being delivered by teachers across the country, PSHE is given low status by government so the current requirement can be met by 10 minute discussions in registration or a PSHE day once a year. There is no requirement to provide PSHE for pupils beyond 14 years of age.

We want:

- High quality, well-researched and engaging PSHE education compulsory at all levels of education: early years, primary, secondary and college level

- a minimum provision of 1 hour per week

- lessons taught by subject specialists not an extra burden to teachers of other subjects.

PSHE could be the most valued subject taught; instead it is the least valued.

Help to prevent depression and male suicide. Take PSHE education seriously.