Creating Hope - Conference 2025

Welcome to our hub for Suicide Prevention Scotland's annual conference, taking place in Glasgow.

Key information

When: Thursday 15 May 2025, 09:00 - 17:00 BST
Where: Radisson Blu Hotel, 301 Argyle Street, Glasgow, G2 8DL

About the Conference

Suicide Prevention Scotland works across sectors to reduce suicide whilst tackling the inequalities which contribute to it. Over the last two years, we have explored what this means and how we can best do this.

This year’s conference will focus on key areas of inequality connected to suicide risk which were identified through this work.

Tickets for this year's conference are now fully booked. If you wish to join a waiting list please email our team.

Key themes at this year's conference

Here's some of the things we'll be talking together about this year

Poverty

Alcohol and substance use

Children and young people

Stigma and discrimination

Transitions and life changes

Isolation and loneliness

What happens at our conference?

Learn about what to expect at our Creating Hope Together conference

Creating connections in 2025

Our conference brings together people working or volunteering in the public, private and third sectors who have a focus on suicide prevention and/or the inequalities which contribute to suicide.

Also attending are people with lived and living experience of suicide who would like to know more about suicide prevention work across Scotland.

We expect around 350 people to join us on the day.

As well as some brilliant keynote speakers, there will be panel discussions and a range of workshops that delegates will be able to participate in.

We're also set to display a range of posters from different organisations to share their own best practice around the principles of Time Space Compassion.

You'll also have an opportunity to tell us about the conversations you're having to help us prevent suicide, as part of our new campaign.

Download the agenda

Creating Hope in 2024

At last year's conference, Minister for Mental Wellbeing Maree Todd and Cllr Paul Kelly, COSLA's Health & Social Care Spokesperson sat down with us for a conversation about Creating Hope Together.

We also spoke to a number of delegates to ask them how they are "Creating Hope" - watch these on our YouTube channel.

Click to watch

Accessibility

A range of measures will be in place to support the conference being accessible and inclusive. On the day we will:

Be thoughtful about our words and actions and ask participants and speakers to offer us feedback
Talk about stigma and discrimination and offer ways for you to do the same, on your own terms
Set up rooms so there is space for people's walking aids and wheelchairs and provide time to move around the venue between workshops and parts of the day
Provide hearing loops throughout the events space
iInclude clear descriptions of what to expect and the main content of workshops
Have an open-door policy at all times, so you can join and leave when that works for you
Offer quiet spaces to relax or take time out, away from the main agenda
Have listening volunteers who will be able to spend time with you talking through anything that comes up through the event that you want to talk through or support you to give any feedback about the event

Providing the right support

If there is anything else we can do to help you attend on the day, contact craig.wilson@gov.scot to let us know.

You can request anything that will make your experience better and we will do our best to meet any requests.

For example, we could provide large print and audio versions of materials, British Sign Language interpretation, and captioning. All requests will be kept private.

All requests should be made at least two weeks before the conference.

We may be in touch with you directly to discuss your requests, but we will never ask for any proof or reasoning behind an access request.

Refreshments

These will be provided during the day along with a buffet lunch.

If you have any dietary requirements please let us know in advance if you haven’t already as part of the registration process.

Staff will be able to direct you to suitable refreshments.

Getting here

There is no parking at the hotel, but there are car parks nearby.

MORE TO BE ADDED

Terminology

At Suicide Prevention Scotland we recognise that terminology and labels used to refer to social groups and experiences is ethically and politically complex, can be harmful and is subject to debate and update.

Throughout the conference, we will use the terminology partners themselves or cited publications have used to refer to the communities they are led by or referring to.

We are committed to continually engaging with this critical debate to understand and mitigate harm.

We'll be capturing film and photography at the conference. If you don't want to be featured, just let a member of our team know.