Neil Youngs, Community First Responder for our Ambulance Service and a support worker, has been awarded a well-deserved High Sheriff of the Isle of Wight Award for community services, after being nominated for the suicide prevention support he has provided in the community to help save lives.
In August last year Neil spoke to someone who felt that there was no other option in life but to end it. The conversation was calm, in depth, and at times emotional, however the outcome was a positive one.
Neil had already completed a suicide awareness course that dealt with how to approach a person at risk, opening a dialogue, and ultimately guiding them to a more positive pathway and to seek professional support. Prior to completing the suicide awareness course he had also finished an eight month course to gain a Level 3 (A-level, higher distinction pass) in counselling and psychotherapy.
Since then he has completed yet another course (Level 5, higher distinction pass) to qualify as a psychological wellbeing practitioner adding to his other qualifications such as Mental Health First Aid and the new CFR course run by the ambulance service.
Neil said: “I admit that I like to study and expand my knowledge, and hopefully one day I'll find a role where I can use my skills to make a difference.
"My award came about after a friend of the family of the person I had helped contacted the High Sheriff and nominated me for a community award which I collected on the 22nd of March. I had also been awarded a similar accolade for the same incident by the crime and police commissioner in December last year. I must admit that I find it all a bit humbling and a fuss about nothing, but that's just me.”
