The Suicide Awareness & Support Group is a community group supporting people contemplating suicide…read morewhich also aims to raise awareness about suicide and highlight the ways of preventing it. Its consensus is that talking about your feelings or talking about someone who has recently committed suicide can be a great help. They let people know that it is ok to cry or shout if this will aid your cause. People should accept offers of help. It is important to go out with your friends and don't feel guilty if you're enjoying life. It doesn't mean you've forgotten about the person or you care any less. I do not want to reduce these to figures, but in 2008 there were 218 male and 64 female deaths in Belfast from suicide. This is a ridiculously shocking number! SASG run a support group for men which meets on a Monday night from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. There's also an open support group meets on a Tuesday night from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. SASG also run workshops concerning preventation and concern; Preparing, Connecting, Understanding, Assisting and networking . These themes are covering and disucesseed thoroughly in order to assist suicide prevention. We need to do something about the helplessness these people feel before the rates get any higher. Call: 028 9023 9967 or for a 24hour helpline phone Lifeline on 0808 808 8000 Email: suicide_awareness@hotmail.co.uk

A group that does crucial work here in Belfast. In the last 10-12 years, the number of suicides in…read moreBelfast (particularly north and west) continues to rise at an alarming rate. This group offers support to the families and loved ones who've been bereaved by suicide, as well as offering counselling services to those who are suicidal. They do an excellent job, despite their huge workload. As is the norm for me when I'm reviewing groups of this nature, it gets three stars (see my NICAS review).

Falls community council is a local community organisation that offers a variety of services. The…read moremost useful things they do are when they organise things like IT training courses. They also focus quite a lot on utilising resources for young people and teenagers, hosting alcohol and drugs awareness programmes. They also have a sound recording suite which is soundproofed and well equipped. They run a lot of programmes for young people here, introducing young people to music and technology, and training them on the latest equipment. Schools regularly arrange days for pupils to come down here and, for some of them, it actually gives them a bit of direction and, in some cases, a career path. Of course, the centre isn't exclusively for young people, and it arranges training courses for the unemployed, as well as offering advice and guidance on what services and community organisations are available in the Belfast area.

I had never been to a Citizens Advice Bureau before but had heard many great things. My girlfriend…read morestarted a placement here and told me all about the wonderful things they can help you with such as employment issues, housing issues and benefit issues etc. I had a few queries about the rights of tenants, after my problems with a certain estate agent (those fans of my work will already be eagerly awaitng an update) so decided I'd call in and make a few enquiries. Upon arrival I gave my details to the receptionist and took a seat, after quiet a lengthy wait I was seen and my query was resolved within an hour. The staff here were very friendly and I would recommend their service to anybody in this area. However drop in appointments are available each morning so I would go down as early as possible to get seen as you will have to endure a lengthy wait.