Message from the Executive Director of Caring for Life
The opening message during the Community Suicide Prevention Summit 2025
Good morning to all who joined us that day, and to those reading this now. As I stood (virtually) before hundreds of participants across Singapore and beyond, I carried a mix of emotions — gratitude, hope, and a quiet heaviness. Gratitude that so many people came together to say that life matters. Hope that together, we can shift the tide toward healing. And heaviness, because we know the cost when people struggle in silence.
This summit was never just about awareness or knowledge. It was about connection. It was about remembering that suicide prevention is not a task reserved for professionals — it is a calling for all of us. Whether you're a caregiver, a friend, a policymaker, a survivor, or someone still figuring out your place in this movement — you matter. Your presence matters. And our shared humanity is what makes prevention possible.
Executive Director’s Speech – Community Suicide Prevention Summit 2025
Alex Yeo, Executive Director, Caring for Life
Good morning everyone,
Thank you all — partners, friends, colleagues, and volunteers — for being here. Your presence shows we are not alone in this work.
This year, Caring for Life (CFL) marks its 5th anniversary. In that time, we have trained over 3,500 community carers, averaging about 800 a year, and partnered with more than 100 agencies across schools, workplaces, grassroots groups, and faith communities. On average, we now conduct 60 sessions a year — about one every week.
The outcomes matter most. Over 90% of LIFE Training participants say they now feel better equipped with suicide prevention skills, and over 90% report greater confidence in supporting someone at risk. From time to time, participants share that they have applied these skills in real life — and in some cases, saved lives.
But listening to the ground reminds us the need is still urgent. I hear questions such as:
“What should I do if my friends hint at wanting to end their lives but don’t want to seek help?”
“I am worried about my child. One of his classmates has died by suicide. What should I do?”
“Those who keep saying they want to kill themselves are probably not serious — is that true?”
These are not just questions, but cries for guidance. They remind us that suicide prevention is about more than skills — it is about building a culture of openness, courage, and compassion.
CFL’s distinct approach is to focus on upstream prevention — journeying with the whole community to become the first lines of care and to build suicide resilience together. Our programmes have taken place in schools, workplaces, community centres, and even in homes. Our youngest participants are in their teens; our oldest is 86 years old. This shows suicide prevention belongs to every generation.
This year also brought several “firsts”: training engagements with Vietnam counterparts, providing training for China counterparts via Zoom, an exchange conversation with our Hong Kong counterpart, our first training with a mosque community in Singapore, and now — for the first time — hosting a Malaysia counterpart on our platform. All these affirm one truth: suicide prevention is not bound by age, sector, or culture. It is a shared responsibility.
That is what this Summit is about. Over the next two days, we will renew our commitment, learn from stories and experiences, and strengthen partnerships across sectors. This is not just about awareness, but about building momentum for a movement — a movement where suicide prevention is truly everyone’s business.
So let me close with our vision and two invitations.
Our vision is clear: “We envision a future where the community is driven to prevent suicide and become suicide resilient.”
The first invitation: We have launched 12 sessions of our LIFE Training programme — a 4-hour, fully sponsored suicide prevention training. I encourage you to register and be equipped.
The second invitation: I also invite you to take part in our research project with James Cook University (JCU), which I am co-authoring. This study explores the needs of individuals who support people experiencing suicidal ideation. Your experiences will help us build better, more targeted resources so no one has to walk this journey alone.
Together, we can create a Singapore where every life is valued, and no one is left behind.
Thank you.
