The Orange Button Community
If you have carried out mental health training you’re eligible to be an Orange Button wearer and join our community, free to anyone living across Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Orange Button wearers are our community heroes who provide information and support to people who are having thoughts of suicide or who are worried about a friend or family member. Wearers should be confident to:
- Talk about suicide
- Listen without judgement
- Signpost to support
Hear Euan's story about becoming an orange button wearer
Orange Button FAQs
To become an Orange Button wearer you will need to have completed any of the below training in the last 2 years: - ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) - safeTALK - Suicide First Aid - Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) (2 day – Adult) - Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) (2 day – Youth) - Managing Suicidal Conversations (Samaritans) - SP-EAK (PAPYRUS)
If you register to be an Orange Button wearer, you will join our community and receive our regular newsletters and invites to our in person events. These events are a great opportunity to meet other Orange Button wearers and listen to special guest speakers.
You can wear your Orange Button whenever you wish, for example at work, volunteering or in your community. The great thing about the button is that it’s as easy to take off as it is to put on. With this in mind, we do encourage you to consider your own wellbeing when choosing to wear it - it’s important to take your own self-care days too.
The Orange Button was originally developed in Lancashire and South Cumbria and has three main aims:
- To create a community of people trained in suicide awareness who have gained skills from quality assured training
- To create a network of organisations with Orange Button wearers who can listen to someone and signpost them to support
- To ensure all communities are aware of the Orange Button, what it signifies and how people can be involved, by promoting from within the community
Orange Button wearers should not be confused as counsellors or therapists. As wearers we should provide immediate listening and signposting support. However, we are not an alternative or replacement to specialist mental health support, who can offer longer term solutions.