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Elementary school students are attending suicide prevention education early last year.

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Yeongdeungpo-gu (Mayor Chae Hyun-il) operates ‘Youth Peer Guardians’ and ‘Life Guardians’ to prevent extreme choices and provide motivation for life, offering opportunities to learn how to listen to and empathize with the voices of neighbors in need.

Suicide typically occurs due to issues such as mental health (40.5%), physical health (16.4%), and economic circumstances (15.6%). Since more than 4 out of 10 people suffer from depression and other difficulties before making extreme choices, attention from surrounding neighbors is necessary.

First, the district supports students to proactively counsel and listen to peers experiencing depression through the ‘Youth Peer Guardians’ program.

Peers of similar age sharing difficulties together not only form empathy more easily but also positively contribute to recovery from depression.

Additionally, Peer Guardians carry out various activities to spread a culture of respect for life, such as running related clubs at school and holding campaigns.

The district provides training for Peer Guardian activities at the start of the new semester in March and supports them to begin counseling activities in earnest.

Moreover, the district trains ‘Suicide Prevention Life Guardians,’ who detect signs of extreme choices among neighbors and connect and support them with institutional experts.

Life Guardian training is regularly held on the fourth Friday of odd-numbered months from 2 PM for a 3-hour course. The main content includes △ methods to identify high-risk groups for extreme choices △ how to respond when detecting risk signals of extreme choices.

After the training, participants receive a certificate along with a Suicide Prevention Life Guardian completion number.

Over the past seven years, the district has trained over 3,000 Life Guardians, discovering and managing more than 100 high-risk individuals for extreme choices annually, leading suicide prevention efforts within the community.

Anyone enrolled in elementary, middle, or high schools in the area can apply for the ‘Youth Peer Guardians,’ and anyone who is a resident or an employee of a local company can apply for the ‘Life Guardians.’ Those wishing to apply can inquire at the Health Promotion Division (☎2670-1682).

Chae Hyun-il, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, stated, “Since 9 out of 10 people who make extreme choices always send warning signals, attention and help from those around them are very important,” adding, “I hope that through Life Guardian training, precious neighbors can be saved.” Health Promotion Division (☎2670-1682)

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.