ABSTRACT
In Ireland, a country experiencing a high rate of youth suicide relative to other European countries, the voluntary charitable organisation Cycle Against Suicide is in the business of fostering positive social change on a national scale. Historically, suicide was an illegal act in Ireland until 1993 and there remains a certain stigma associated with the experience of suicide and mental health. The success of a community-based social marketing (CBSM) programme is dependent on the goodwill and involvement of a range of stakeholders beyond the target audience. The main advantages of a CBSM approach are its cultivation of the community's local knowledge, its efficient and effective use of a community's resources and its empowerment of the community in the process of social change. School-based programmes focused on the construction of emotional confidence, wellness skills and good mental health literacy; awareness-raising events were designed to encourage social support and the community-wide reduction of stigma.
