Insurance Edge

As published on insurance-edge.net

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IE is a magazine that embraces the future, but when times are dark, people often need help to see that brighter future. This piece is inspired by a blog post from Alice Hendy and it carries an important message; reach out for support and talk, one ripple in the water can go a long way.

Alice Hendy tragically lost her brother, Josh, on the 25th November 2020 from suicide. Josh was her only sibling and was 21 years of age. After examining Josh’s phone and laptop following his death, Alice found that Josh had been researching techniques to take his own life via internet searches, suicide forums and video tutorials.

According to the Suicide Forum, there are 1.2 million internet searches for ways to take your own life every month and those searches have increased over the last two years. Nobody really knows the true impact of the pandemic lockdowns either.

Alice’s day job involves working in IT and Cyber Security, with experience in working for global financial institutions and insurance firms in the city of London. She wanted to do something that made a difference. To ensure more help and support is given to individuals in mental health crisis and searching for harmful content online, Alice set up Ripple to provide people with a voice, choice, empowerment, and control at a time when they are most vulnerable.

What is Ripple?

Ripple is an intervention tool when someone searches for harmful online content, rather than just a phone number. It provides an immediate interception on a user’s device once they have been flagged, consisting of a powerful message of hope and a selection of mental health support resources in a range of different communication options (call, text, webchat, self-help app, and pocket resources).

The reasons why people choose suicide are often complex, and people must take practical actions to end their own lives. If suicide is a practical act, then we need practical solutions to prevent it from happening; Ripple is a vital and practical tool which achieves that aim. In a moment of crisis, anything that offers hope or an alternative to someone considering suicide must be considered very seriously.

The Research

Ripple has been created with evidence and research in mind at every stage. To develop the content of the message and select the resources that feature on the Ripple tool, the team worked in collaboration with mental health clinicians, professionals, NHS representatives, lived experience panels and the public.

When will Ripple be available?

Ripple launched as a ‘browser extension’ 10th September (World Suicide Prevention Day) and is available to download onto your laptop or desktop now. Get the Google Chrome extension here.

The Impact

Through Ripple, an individual feeling despair and researching harmful content will be urged to instead seek mental health support they deserve and need in a way that works best for them.

· To date, Ripple has been downloaded over 25,000 times in a matter of weeks, with schools, colleges, universities, parents, carers and charities able to download R;pple, free of charge (charitable donation required from businesses)

· 21 individuals have approached Ripple to inform us that the tool intercepting them online at their most vulnerable point has saved their life and that they are now receiving mental health support. · Ripple has been shortlisted for 8 awards in the IT, technology and mental health space, after only officially launching in September 2021. · Ripple has gained significant UK media coverage, reaching over 8.5 million people and appearing on national television, radio and press.

How you can Support Ripple

As a newly formed charitable organisation, you can support Ripple in the following ways:

· Promote R;pple to your local schools, colleges, universities, parents and individuals to download Ri;pple for free

· Integrate R;pple within your organisation and contribute to lifesaving development of the Ripple technlogy by liasing with your wellbeing, HR and IT teams (charitable subscription fee required, bespoke rates available)

· Incorporate Ripple in any internal and external communications and marketing (including social media promotion where possible)

· Introduce Ripple to any mental health/wellbeing partnerships you have in place

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