PIPS to use Hairsdressers and Taxidrivers

PIPS Project: Public Initiative for the Prevention of Suicide and Self-harm.
http://pipsproject.com/home.html

a Belfast based private charity will be training professionals who come in close contact with members of the public and have an opportunity to identify customers who show signs of depression.

The Observor article 06/09/2009.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/se...rthern-ireland

"...The north Belfast-based Public Initiative for the Prevention of Suicide and Self-harm (Pips) is holding a specialist training programme on 27 September for hair salon staff and barbers.

Philip McTaggart, Pips founder and chairperson, said the idea came about after volunteers in the Duncairn Gardens area of the city relayed stories they had heard while at the hairdresser. "It seems that when someone sits down in the chair to have their hair cut they will talk about anything, including things that they might feel uncomfortable speaking of to those they know," he said. "But they will open up to a stranger who is standing over them cutting their hair. So we went around various salons and asked staff about what sort of problems in their lives their customers talked about. What the staff told us was quite shocking....."

PIPS website 'How I can Help.'
http://pipsproject.com/howcanihelp.html

Presumably after talking to the average taxi driver or hairdresser people will want to harm them rather than themselves.

Yes all thoughts of suicide will go out the window. A cunning plan.

Anything, regardless of how off the wall that reduces suicide is a great idea. If they save one life they have made a difference

Reminds me of an old one:

No wonder the country is screwed - everyone who knows how to run it is either cutting hair or driving a taxi.