Month 36 has arrived. It is now time for partners to write their final financial and technical reports. It is time to send the last newsletter. It is also time to take stock of what we experienced during the past three years.
For many of the partners, Euregenas was the first project of its kind. One of the first lessons was in those cases things like information on how to carry out a long-term project, the importance of good leadership and committed partners’ participation for a successful project. Partners have also learned to deal in a more sensitive way with newspaper articles and media campaigns reporting about suicide (and its prevention).
The partners have very different prerequisites, roles, assignments and mandate to work with suicide prevention. It is interesting and at the same time difficult to find a common baseline but we now know it is both possible and very fruitful.
I was excited that project also included new areas in the field of suicide prevention
Local networking is a challenging experience.
The Euregenas project has shown the power of working together, in spreading knowledge and thinking of further implementation.
It has made me aware of how vulnerable regions are when trying to weigh on European policy making.
Whilst I absolutely appreciate the importance of evidence-based practice I do also think it important that we don’t lose sight of our ability to provide support and empathy for people bereaved by suicide from our hearts as well as our heads…!
According to another partner: Evidence-based interventions became practice-based as we were sharing them within our group.”
Each project brings its surprises. The clever design of Technology-based Suicide Prevention programmes impressed some partners. Others found it remarkable that all suggestions and observations aired during the project were always taken into account. Another partner was surprised to discover the general awareness of the population on the issue of suicide and its prevention is very low and that projects like Euregenas, which operates in local and regional communities, are thus even more desirable.
I was surprised that practical, hands-on approaches are likely to be applicable in all regions and countries, regardless of the differences in culture and governance systems.
It was really surprising for me how much has already been done in the field of suicide prevention. On the other hand it was even more surprising how little key players in the field collaborate, quite often because they do not know about each other.
It was also surprising that there are serious deficiencies in the care of those that bereaved by suicide.
We were not sure what to expect regarding the outcomes of the project but even if we have had great expectations they would have been exceeded. We will have great use of the EUREGENAS material, especially as our new political assignment is to disseminate and to stimulate implement of the EUREGENAS result with a focus on WP6.
The good relationships and good atmosphere among the partners who, despite coming from very different regions and cultures, have so much in common.
The professional growth and the awareness, that it is possible, even in such a difficult field such as preventing suicide, to work with vigour and enthusiasm.
We have been able, and will be, to take steps forward to support different stakeholders with knowledge and tools that they have expressed need of.
I've received very good examples from other countries about the suicide prevention and I started to apply it in my work. In particular, I'm working on WP8 and the examples from Cumbria are very useful for me. I was surprised to meet really nice people. I have enjoyed spending time with them, even outside the work on the project. The project made me think that suicide prevention is really possible, we should only find the right way.
As any project, we have had our ups and downs and our lessons learned.
For future projects, it should be made clear from the outset that the implementation phase must be performed by each partner. This would buy time to manage funds so that when the project ends, won't be a long lapse on time, and so implementation can be carried out continuously.
The assessed needs of different regions should be evaluated once more after all the tools have been disseminated and successfully implemented.
In our region we have advanced in suicide prevention, due to the participation in Euregenas. Being part of the project has developed our knowledge of what can be done, and how it should be done.
It has been wonderful to work together on such a major health problem as is suicide, with so many people concerned.
I have learned a great deal, both through meeting colleagues from so many other European countries at meetings but also through the virtual facilitators network. I have never been involved in working with several other countries simultaneously using web cam technology and it was a fascinating experience.
I feel privileged to have been asked to facilitate the network. It proved to be a great way of sharing experience and perspectives on facilitating groups for people who are bereaved through suicide and in some countries other sudden traumatic loss. The process was also invaluable for sharing different perspectives on how such groups can be structured and run. There is no one size fits all and we should never assume that the way we do things is necessarily the best or only way to do things.