INNISFAIL - A $20,000 donation from the Smiles Thru Lindsey Foundation will be used to support youths in the region who may be struggling with suicidal ideation and self-injury, say officials.
Chinook’s Edge School Division (CESD) and Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools (RDCRS) recently received the donation. The divisions plan to work together to develop two protocols: a non-suicidal, self-injury protocol and a suicidal ideation protocol.
The protocols will apply to all students in all grades in both school divisions, CESD communications coordinator Laurette Woodward told the Albertan.
The Smiles Thru Lindsey Foundation was started by the family of Lindsey More, who died from suicide nearly eight years ago. Her parents, Rick and Cindy More, have been active in building suicide prevention awareness and programs for youth.
The foundation raised the $20,000 through a recent fundraising event in Penhold.
The CESD-RDCRS initiative will include training for designated school staff to “ensure they know how to help students, and when and where to refer them to additional support from community partners,” the divisions said in a new release.
“Our goal is to ensure staff have the resources and procedures in place to ensure support for youth who are self-harming or have suicide ideation,” said CESD associate superintendent Marcie Perdue, who said the initiative will have a “significant impact for students.”
Rick More said teachers helping students in need when it comes to suicide prevention is worthwhile.
“It’s possible students will first confide in a teacher before they talk with their parents about their concerns in this area,” More said in the release. “Also, teachers experience pressure with everything that is expected to them in their work. We are excited about the project because we can see it making a difference.”
Jodi Smith, associate superintendent of inclusive learning with RDCRS, says having the school divisions working together will benefit all students.
The intention is to have the protocols completed by the end of the 2023-24 school year.
“There will be a gradual introduction with training,” said Woodward.
There are 11,000 students in the Innisfail-headquartered CESD. The 10,400-student RDCRS division includes schools in Olds and Innisfail.
