Making a Difference in Our Community: How We’re Working to Prevent Suicide in Somerset.

At the heart of Somerset Council, we are dedicated to preventing suicide and supporting mental health through open conversations and community action. Our goal is to break down barriers, reduce stigma, and ensure help is accessible for everyone. Here’s a closer look at one of our key initiatives: The Orange Button Scheme and how it is working from the perspective of those volunteers involved.

What is the Orange Button Scheme?

Recently, Somerset Council conducted a survey among Orange Button Holders to evaluate the impact of this scheme. The Orange Button is a visible symbol—a badge—that signifies the wearer has received training and is a safe person to approach about suicide. Its purpose is to create a supportive environment by making conversations about mental health and suicide more natural in everyday settings—be it at work, in schools, or within the wider community.

Why do we need this?

The urgency of mental health support has never been greater. Suicide rates in England and Wales are at their highest since 1999, with reports of self-harm quadrupling since 2000. Somerset, unfortunately, has higher-than-average suicide rates, highlighting the necessity for proactive community-based initiatives like the Orange Button Scheme.

How is it working so far?

To understand the Orange Button scheme’s impact, we ran a short survey with 186 respondents, mainly from roles that involve regular public interaction—such as health, education, and community services.

Small actions creating big ripple effects

Many Orange Button holders reported that wearing the orange badge encouraged small but powerful actions. They influenced friends and colleagues to undertake training, initiated awareness chats without any crisis happening at the time, and created a culture of openness.

Real-world impact

From colleges and schools to NHS services, community teams, and charities, stories from badge holders showcase the scheme’s reach across everyday settings—not just paid specialists. These stories include:

• Creating safety plans with students and apprentices
• Arranging same-day support through Crisis Safe Space or Mindline
• Talking someone down from a bridge, an action that potentially saved a life

Training builds confidence

Many respondents said that the training and simple scripts helped them ask direct questions about suicide, listen non-judgmentally, and signpost appropriately. Several acknowledged that these tools made them more comfortable approaching difficult conversations—conversations they might have avoided before.

Making a difference

The feedback from Orange Button volunteers shows the real impact they’re having:

• Engaging in meaningful, often repeated, conversations about mental health
• Supporting individuals in distress, sometimes in life-or-death situations

These moments of kindness and courage demonstrate how small actions can have profound consequences—saving lives and enabling a more understanding community.

Challenges and next steps

While the scheme shows promise, we face some challenges:

• Awareness outside our immediate networks remains low
• Stigma and fear of “doing or saying the wrong thing” persist
• Personal headspace, role constraints, and confidentiality issues can limit engagement
• Cultural and language barriers mean we need to reach more diverse communities

Moving forward

Building on the success so far, our focus now is on expanding awareness, addressing practical barriers, and reaching more diverse groups. We believe that by working together and continuing these conversations, we can make Somerset a safer, more supportive place for everyone.

Thank you to everyone involved, from badge holders to community partners. Together, we are building a Somerset rooted in kindness and compassion—creating a community where everyone feels supported and cared for.