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By battlefordsNOW Staff

MENTAL HEALTH

Living Sky schools receive $10K grant to keep suicide-alertness training free

Jan 28, 2026 | 4:52 PM

A $10,000 grant will allow students across northwest and west-central Saskatchewan to continue accessing suicide-alertness training at no cost, as Living Sky School Division (LSKYSD) works to strengthen mental-health supports beyond the classroom.

Living Sky has received the funding from the Step Up for Mental Health Fund to support the ongoing delivery of LivingWorks’ SafeTALK Suicide Alertness Training, a program designed to help people recognize when someone may be thinking about suicide and connect them with life-saving support.

The funding will cover program materials, allowing the training to remain free for students within the division – an important factor for schools serving communities spread across a large geographic region, including small towns, First Nations and Hutterite colonies.

SafeTALK is designed for anyone aged 15 and older and focuses on practical skills: noticing warning signs, having direct conversations and knowing what steps to take when someone may be at risk. Living Sky began offering the program to students and staff in 2018, and the division says the training aligns with the belief that “every conversation can make a difference.” 

For school counsellor Jessica Labman, who is a trained SafeTALK facilitator, the program is about giving young people the confidence to speak up when it matters most.

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“Since I received the training in 2018, I have trained close to 1,000 individuals within LSKYSD in safeTALK,” Labman said. 

She said the program helps reduce stigma and supports open, direct conversations when someone may be struggling.

“By empowering youth to recognize signs of suicide risk and connect others with trained professionals, safeTALK is strengthening our communities and fostering a culture of care, awareness, and support.”

Student feedback suggests the training is resonating. Participants described the program as engaging and said it helped address fears around discussing suicide, including learning that it is acceptable to ask direct questions such as whether someone is thinking about suicide  .

 “It prepares you and addresses some of the fears surrounding discussions on this topic,” one student noted in a statement.

The funding comes from Step Up for Mental Health, a Saskatoon-based run and walk event that raises both money and awareness for mental-health initiatives. 

Proceeds from its five-kilometre, 10-kilometre and half-marathon events are distributed to Saskatchewan organizations working to support mental health in their communities. Living Sky was named a 2025 grant recipient for its work related to suicide-alertness training.

Living Sky School Division serves about 5,300 students across 28 schools in 19 communities, spanning a wide portion of northwest and west-central Saskatchewan.

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If you or someone you know is in immediate danger of self-harm or experiencing suicidal thoughts, please contact:

Canada Suicide Prevention Service (1-833-456-4566), Saskatoon Crisis Intervention Service (306-933-6200), Prince Albert Mobile Crisis Unit (306-764-1011), Regina Mobile Crisis Services (306-525-5333) or the Hope for Wellness Help Line, which provides culturally competent crisis intervention counseling support for Indigenous peoples at (1-855-242-3310).

cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com