One is Too Many: Implementing a suicide reduction workforce initiative

Background
Following the publication of the One is Too Many (OiTM) report and toolkit, this study demonstrates the implementation and evaluation of a workshop to support practitioners in their practice, to assess, evaluate and develop their role in suicide reduction. The workshops aim to support practitioners in suicide reduction by fostering self-assessment, compassionate leadership, and action planning.

Method
The workshop is designed to support practitioners from across a range of settings (healthcare, third sector) in assessing, evaluating, and developing their roles in military/veteran suicide reduction. It provides a safe and reflective environment to promote active learning through engagement in real-world applications, critical discussions, and hands-on activities. The New World Kirkpatrick Model frames evaluations at successive levels, from individual reactions to organizational impact, to measure effectiveness and relevance. Participants are invited to follow-up interviews at one, three, and six months post-workshop to evaluate the implementation of the action plan developed during the workshop.

Results
Underpinned by the COM-B model (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation – Behaviour) the experiences are themed to demonstrate confidence, learning needs, and behaviour changes in suicide reduction. They also highlight workplace factors (enablers and barriers) impacting the implementation of action plans.

Conclusions
The study highlights the role of compassionate leadership and structured learning environments in supporting suicide prevention practitioners. By combining formative evaluations and active learning strategies, it aims to enhance practitioner capability, motivation, and opportunity to implement sustainable behaviour changes in real-world settings. Successive evaluations provide ongoing insights and support to ensure the long-term impact of the OiTM toolkit.