On 19th and 20th May 2026, the Limerick Alliance for Mental Health Support, as part of the MENTBEST project, organised the two-day workshop “Train the Trainer” to strengthen the community capacity in mental health awareness and suicide prevention. The workshop was delivered in collaboration with the National Suicide Research Foundation and the School of Public Health at the University College Cork.

The programme was aimed at community facilitators, participants who had already completed and were certified in Level 3 Gatekeeper Training, bringing with them a solid foundation in mental health awareness. The training deepened the knowledge they already had and equipped them with the practical skills required to deliver the EAADs Level 3 Gatekeeper Training within their own organisations and communities.

The training focused on enhancing participants‘ competence in responding to mental health issues, including the recognition of depression, anxiety and risk of suicidal behaviour, addressing stigma through evidence-based reasoning and myth-busting, guidance on advice, referral pathways and access to the right care as well as supporting the wellbeing and self-care of the facilitators.

With this workshop, the three organisations aim to create a ripple effect: by training people who can deliver that knowledge back to their community, creating an ever-widening circle of awareness and support. The more trainers, the more people who can access a trusted resource, making the change in mental health awareness and suicide prevention a lasting one.

For more information on future TTT programs, you can write to: almaskhan@ucc.ie