Outlive Brings Youth Voices, Peer Support and Policy Advocacy Together to Rethink Suicide Prevention in India

2026-11-03 01:13:21 News & Society

120

Addressing suicide among young people requires more than awareness initiatives or access to support services. It also involves understanding lived experiences, challenging social stigma and creating opportunities for young people to participate in shaping the systems that affect their lives. Outlive approaches this challenge by bringing youth perspectives into the development and implementation of suicide prevention interventions in India.

Led by the Centre for Mental Health Law & Policy, Indian Law Society (CMHLP, ILS), and developed in collaboration with Sangath and Quicksand Design Studio, Outlive engages young people aged 18–25 who have experiences of suicide, self-harm, emotional distress or mental health problems. Its work focuses on urban youth populations and recognises the importance of developing approaches informed by the experiences of those directly affected.

Making Youth Participation Part of Prevention

A central element of Outlive is its commitment to meaningful youth partnership. Young people are involved not only as recipients of support but also as contributors to program development, implementation and advocacy. Those with lived experience participate as staff members, advisors, trainers, peer supporters and youth advocates.

The program's three interventions were co-designed with 50 young people through consultations and co-design workshops. This participatory and human-centred design process helped bring youth perspectives into the development of initiatives addressing awareness, emotional support and policy engagement.

The approach recognises that young people can contribute valuable insights into the barriers, social pressures and experiences influencing mental health and help-seeking.

Public Engagement Campaign: Addressing Stigma Through Awareness

Stigma and discrimination can make conversations about suicide and emotional distress difficult. Misconceptions surrounding these experiences may also prevent individuals from accessing information or discussing their concerns openly.

Outlive's Public Engagement Campaign focuses on increasing awareness and encouraging more informed conversations through accessible educational resources. Resources are shared in English, Hindi and Marathi, with Kannada resources planned.

The campaign aims to:

Improve public understanding of youth suicide prevention.

Address stigma and discrimination associated with suicide.

Encourage sensitive and informed conversations.

Make relevant prevention resources accessible across language communities.

By using multilingual resources, the initiative recognises the importance of communicating sensitive information in ways that different communities can understand and engage with.

Outlive Chat: Peer-Based Emotional Support

For young people experiencing emotional distress, having an opportunity to speak openly can be important. However, concerns about judgment or misunderstanding may make starting a conversation difficult.

Outlive Chat addresses this need through an anonymous, chat-based emotional support platform supported by trained peer supporters. The service is intended for young people experiencing distress or thoughts of ending their lives.

Its peer supporters are trained to offer emotional support through conversations centred on listening and understanding. The anonymous chat-based format provides an alternative space for young people to express difficult feelings and experiences.

This intervention forms part of a broader support approach and does not replace professional mental health care or emergency services.

YASP Fellowship: Connecting Youth Experiences with Policy

Suicide prevention also requires attention to the policies and institutional systems that influence young people's lives. The Youth Action for Suicide Prevention (YASP) Fellowship addresses this dimension by training young people to become advocates who can engage with policymakers and influence policy processes.

Through youth advocacy, the fellowship creates opportunities to bring lived experiences and youth perspectives into governance and policy discussions. It focuses on strengthening young people's participation in decision-making and encouraging their involvement in systemic change.

Connecting Awareness, Support and Systemic Change

The three interventions address different aspects of prevention while working towards a shared purpose. Public engagement focuses on awareness and reducing stigma, Outlive Chat creates opportunities for emotional connection through peer support, and the YASP Fellowship encourages youth participation in policy processes.

Together, these initiatives demonstrate an approach in which young people contribute to both individual support and wider social change.

Outlive's emphasis on lived experience also highlights the importance of listening to young people when developing prevention strategies. By involving them as partners, contributors and advocates, the program seeks to encourage more inclusive and responsive approaches to youth mental health and suicide prevention in India.

About the Organization

Outlive is a youth suicide prevention program led by the Centre for Mental Health Law & Policy, Indian Law Society (CMHLP, ILS), in collaboration with Sangath and Quicksand Design Studio. The program addresses urban youth suicides in India by engaging young people aged 18–25 with lived experiences of suicide, self-harm, emotional distress or mental health problems.

Using participatory and human-centred design, Outlive develops interventions centred on youth partnership. Its three initiatives include a multilingual Public Engagement Campaign, Outlive Chat, an anonymous emotional support platform facilitated by trained peer supporters, and the Youth Action for Suicide Prevention (YASP) Fellowship, which prepares young advocates to engage with policymakers and influence policy processes.