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| Website's support after suicides | Website's support after suicides |
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| Young people who have lost someone close to them because of suicide have set up a website to give advice and support to vulnerable youngsters. | Young people who have lost someone close to them because of suicide have set up a website to give advice and support to vulnerable youngsters. |
| Teenagers in Bridgend came up with the idea after more than 20 young people apparently took their own lives in the county over the past two years. | |
| They hope the information will appeal to their age group and contains myths and facts about suicide. | They hope the information will appeal to their age group and contains myths and facts about suicide. |
| The Choose Life web pages are being launched on Bridgend council's website. | The Choose Life web pages are being launched on Bridgend council's website. |
| They also contain advice on where young people can get help and personal statements about the effects of suicide on those left behind. | They also contain advice on where young people can get help and personal statements about the effects of suicide on those left behind. |
| The young people behind the project said they hoped also to use social networking sites to direct people to their website. | The young people behind the project said they hoped also to use social networking sites to direct people to their website. |
| "'It's a positive way of giving information to young people that's easily accessible and it offers help to people who may be going through difficult times," they said. | "'It's a positive way of giving information to young people that's easily accessible and it offers help to people who may be going through difficult times," they said. |
| If people are educated more on the topic then they would have a few more seconds to think and realise the impact it has on others Rhys, 17 | If people are educated more on the topic then they would have a few more seconds to think and realise the impact it has on others Rhys, 17 |
| "We thought by putting it on a website it would be more appealing to people our age. The intention now is to put it onto social networking sites to provide the information to a wider audience.'' | "We thought by putting it on a website it would be more appealing to people our age. The intention now is to put it onto social networking sites to provide the information to a wider audience.'' |
| One of the youngsters, 17-year-old Rhys, said he and his friends decided to create the website because they did not think there was enough access to information about the effects of suicide. | |
| "Losing someone close to you is indescribable really," he said. | "Losing someone close to you is indescribable really," he said. |
| "The devastating effects it had on myself, my close friends and family, it does bring you to tears just thinking about it. | "The devastating effects it had on myself, my close friends and family, it does bring you to tears just thinking about it. |
| "I think if this can be prevented, why should someone suffer from it? | "I think if this can be prevented, why should someone suffer from it? |
| "I didn't have a clue about any of the websites to help or people who you can go to for help, and this is why me and my mates felt it was a good idea to create a site which you could access and further help yourself. | "I didn't have a clue about any of the websites to help or people who you can go to for help, and this is why me and my mates felt it was a good idea to create a site which you could access and further help yourself. |
| "I was devastated and I was angry... there wasn't something like Choose Life already set up." | "I was devastated and I was angry... there wasn't something like Choose Life already set up." |
| We have seen some terrible things written about this area, but it's not the Bridgend county I know and love JJ Williams, former rugby star | We have seen some terrible things written about this area, but it's not the Bridgend county I know and love JJ Williams, former rugby star |
| He said he believed education and raising awareness could help prevent more people taking their own lives. | He said he believed education and raising awareness could help prevent more people taking their own lives. |
| "If people are educated more on the topic then they would have a few more seconds to think and realise the impact it has on others and that there's a way out, there's a way to prevent it," he added. | "If people are educated more on the topic then they would have a few more seconds to think and realise the impact it has on others and that there's a way out, there's a way to prevent it," he added. |
| Rugby star support | Rugby star support |
| The teenagers approached the Bridgend Local Service Board (LSB), which has helped them with their idea, along with Bridgend council's Educational Psychology Service. | The teenagers approached the Bridgend Local Service Board (LSB), which has helped them with their idea, along with Bridgend council's Educational Psychology Service. |
| The website is being supported by former Welsh rugby star JJ Williams, who said: "We have seen some terrible things written about this area, but it's not the Bridgend county I know and love. I really commend the students for what they are doing." | The website is being supported by former Welsh rugby star JJ Williams, who said: "We have seen some terrible things written about this area, but it's not the Bridgend county I know and love. I really commend the students for what they are doing." |
| LSB chair Dr Jo Farrar, who is also chief executive of Bridgend council, said they were keen to help the "inspirational" students. | LSB chair Dr Jo Farrar, who is also chief executive of Bridgend council, said they were keen to help the "inspirational" students. |
| "They, more than anyone else, know how it feels to lose people they are close to, so they are best placed to reach out to their peers," she said. | "They, more than anyone else, know how it feels to lose people they are close to, so they are best placed to reach out to their peers," she said. |
| "Their pages contain excellent advice, as well as some very stark messages about suicide and are written in a way that we hope will appeal to young people, not just in this area but all over Wales and the UK." | "Their pages contain excellent advice, as well as some very stark messages about suicide and are written in a way that we hope will appeal to young people, not just in this area but all over Wales and the UK." |