Jeevan Hosts Training Prog to Boost Suicide Prevention in Jamshedpur

Jamshedpur: Deputy Commissioner Rajiv Ranjan on Saturday inaugurated a two-day Refresher Training Programme for volunteers of the Jeevan Suicide Prevention Organisation at SNTI, Bistupur.

Prior to the inauguration, Ranjan visited the Jeevan Centre at 25 Q Road to gain first-hand knowledge of the organisation’s unique “Befriending” methodology and assess its effectiveness in providing emotional support to people in distress.

Jeevan Follows Internationally Recognised Model

Addressing the gathering, Dr. J.R. Jain, Director of Jeevan, noted that visionary Dr. M. Ram founded the organisation in 2006. Since then, the center has prevented suicides through emotional support and timely intervention.

He explained that Befrienders Worldwide—an international organisation with member centres in 45 countries—affiliates Jeevan. The local center carefully selects and trains its volunteers under a structured programme developed by the global body.

According to Dr. Jain, the befriending technique differs from conventional counselling, focusing instead on active listening, empathy, and emotional support. Through role-plays and practical exercises, the program trains volunteers to help individuals overcome negative thoughts and regain confidence during crises.

Student Suicide Prevention Identified as Key Focus Area

Joint Director Gurpreet Kaur highlighted Jeevan’s efforts to address student suicides, which remain a major concern across the country. She stated that the organisation adopted student suicide prevention as its thrust area and introduced seven targeted initiatives, including student empowerment programmes, teacher sensitisation, and workshops on positive parenting.

These sustained efforts successfully drove down the student suicide rate from 22 percent in 2010 to 7 percent in 2017—an achievement that the Human Resource Development Ministry highly appreciated. The centre’s work also helped reduce overall suicides in the region from 225 in 2010 to 175 in 2025, she added.

Volunteers Receive Advanced Refresher Training

A total of 25 volunteers is participating in the refresher training programme to enhance their skills in crisis intervention and emotional support. Through expanded outreach, awareness, and volunteer training, Jeevan has set an ambitious goal to reduce suicides by 50 percent over the next seven years.

Focus on Helpline Awareness and 24-Hour Support

During the programme, participants prioritized increasing public awareness of Jeevan’s helpline services. The district administration has offered its social media platforms to improve the helpline’s visibility and reach.

Trustee member Brig. C.S. Vaidyanathan suggested installing permanent displays of helpline numbers at major road intersections and public locations to make support more accessible.

Jeevan is also working to extend its helpline services from the current eight hours to a round-the-clock, 24-hour model. Meanwhile, the Tata Steel Foundation is supporting efforts to strengthen the volunteer training infrastructure.

Administration Pledges Full Cooperation

At present, around 200 people seek help from Jeevan every month. The organisation aims to increase this number to 500 through enhanced publicity and awareness campaigns.

Deputy Commissioner Rajiv Ranjan assured the organisation that the administration will provide all possible support to further its mission to save lives and strengthen regional mental health services.