Life-Assisting Conversations at SAS

How do we ensure that every student and staff member is surrounded by a strong culture of care?

LivingWorks programs like ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) play a meaningful role in that safeguarding ecosystem.

In the school context, suicide intervention skills are not about turning educators into therapists. Instead, they help staff become ready, willing, and able to respond when someone may be at risk of immediate harm. When more adults on campus share a common language and approach to life-assisting conversations, the safeguarding network becomes stronger and more responsive.

At the same time, the impact of ASIST often extends far beyond the school environment.

Many participants later share that the skills they practised, active listening, asking direct questions about suicide, and staying present in difficult conversations, have helped them support people in their personal lives as well. These are not just professional tools; they are skills for being human with one another.

Last week, Flora had the privilege of delivering ASIST alongside Clare Lancaster from Lau Ed Training at Singapore American School.

Thank you to Monica R. C. for making this training possible, and to all the participants who engaged with such openness.

We look forward to continuing to support this important work together.