Lifting the Lid – Suicide Prevention Pathways

Veterans and carers December 2023

Funded through the One is Too Many programme, The Royal Marines Association’s (RMA) project Lifting the Lid – Suicide Prevention Pathways has created improved access to support for both vulnerable Veterans and their families through various modes of media and communication; in conjunction with improved access to training opportunities for those supporting vulnerable Veterans.

Nearly 400 Veterans, with often complex needs, have directly benefitted from the holistic, wrap-around support offered through this project. Furthermore, a high impact social media campaign, coupled with support for indirect beneficiaries, including family members, have further added to the reach and impact achieved through One is Too Many – Lifting the Lid. The initial aims of the project focused on three key objectives.

  • To promote positive mental health and advocate help-seeking at an early juncture. Detect those most at
    risk through holistic assessment and enabling them to seek support.
  • Prevent those that might be at risk of suicide by helping them with employment advice, financial and
    benevolence support.
  • Provide assistance with mental health management or substance misuse challenges.

This was achieved through the provision of training and the development of clear pathways into recognised and approved support. As this project progressed, vital learning was achieved regarding the identification of possible help seeking behaviours, for hidden mental health issues, and stressors were identified, including:

  • Loss of job/identity
  • Financial challenges
  • Future employment struggles
  • Relationship challenges
  • Substance misuse
  • Enduring mental health problems
  • Adverse childhood experiences

Through One is Too Many and Lifting the Lid, help seeking behaviours, for hidden mental health issues and access to mainstream support, were developed. True collaboration and forged partnerships are the principal legacy of this project. With strong working relationships formed across, not only other projects involved within the One is Too Many programme, but also with suicide prevention charities and the NHS.

The learning, resources, training and support established through Lifting the Lid will help to not only create a sustainable, lasting impact on the mental health, wellbeing and support available to vulnerable Veterans with complex needs; but will continue through our Transformational Grants programme.

The RMA’s project: ‘Building Collaboration and Consensus’, was built on the back of the One is Too Many, Lifting the Lid project by building collaborative partnerships across organisations supporting the Veteran community. Through sharing data, best practice, and evidence-based findings with partners a consensus and a template will be developed that can be used to identify, detect, promote, treat, and support Veterans’ needs through earlier intervention, enhancing positive outcomes.