Tough To Talk
Freelance Associate Trainer
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Freelance Associate Trainer
Suicide First Aid and Tough Talker Programme
Organisation: Tough To Talk
Contract: Freelance associate
Location: UK-wide, primarily in-person client delivery
Fee: Negotiable, plus reasonable, pre-agreed travel expenses
Assignments: Based on client bookings and trainer availability
Reports to: Founder and Lead Trainer, Tough To Talk
Closing date: 30th September 2026
About Tough To Talk
Tough To Talk is a UK male suicide prevention charity working upstream of crisis.
Our mission is:
To reduce male suicide by breaking the silence on the pain men carry before it becomes crisis.
We help workplaces, charities and communities recognise distress earlier, reach in sooner and support men before crisis develops.
We work primarily with:
- Male-centric workplaces and sectors
- Charities and non-profit organisations supporting vulnerable men
Our work strengthens the people, cultures and systems around men who may never ask for help.
About the programme
The successful trainer will deliver Tough To Talk’s full-day Tough Talker programme.
The programme combines:
Suicide First Aid Lite (Heavy Industry – Men)
Created by the National Centre for Suicide Prevention Education and Training, assured by the Royal Society for Public Health and delivered by appropriately qualified tutors.
It develops delegates’ confidence in recognising possible suicide risk, asking about suicide directly and responding safely within appropriate boundaries.
The Tough Talker Programme
Tough To Talk’s upstream prevention module helps delegates:
- Recognise behavioural signs of distress earlier
- Understand male help-avoidance and silence
- Start safe, human conversations
- Reach in before someone feels able to reach out
- Understand their role and boundaries
- Use agreed organisational support and escalation pathways
- Apply the I²WE Framework
- Join and engage with the Tough Talking Community
Training is only the beginning. Tough Talkers receive continued learning, resources and community support after the course.
Purpose of the role
The associate trainer will deliver safe, engaging and practical learning that equips delegates to become effective Tough Talkers.
The trainer must be able to combine suicide-prevention competence with Tough To Talk’s upstream, behaviour-led and peer-supported approach.
This is not generic wellbeing training.
The role exists to help create trusted people inside real environments who can notice change earlier, begin conversations sooner and help fewer people reach crisis unnoticed.
Principal responsibilities
The associate trainer will:
- Deliver approved Tough To Talk and Suicide First Aid content accurately and consistently
- Facilitate interactive discussions, exercises, case studies and skills practice
- Create a respectful and psychologically safer learning environment
- Discuss suicide directly without sensationalism, graphic detail or unsafe language
- Help delegates understand the difference between upstream recognition and crisis intervention
- Explain the Tough Talker role, including its limits and professional boundaries
- Introduce the I²WE Framework: Influence, Interaction, Intervention and Insight
- Support delegates to understand appropriate signposting and escalation pathways
- Complete Tough Talking Community onboarding with delegates
- Follow Tough To Talk safeguarding, confidentiality and data-handling procedures
- Work appropriately with client safeguarding, HR, wellbeing and support arrangements
- Respond calmly and appropriately if a participant becomes distressed
- Collect attendance, evaluation and delivery information as required
- Take part in quality assurance, observation, moderation and continuing development
- Represent Tough To Talk’s mission, values and standards professionally
- Attend briefing and debriefing sessions where required
- Raise concerns promptly rather than carrying risk alone
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Essential experience and qualities
Applicants should demonstrate:
- Substantial adult training, coaching, teaching or group-facilitation experience
- A relevant training, coaching, teaching or learning-and-development qualification
- The ability to hold attention and build trust with varied groups
- Confidence discussing suicide and emotional distress calmly and safely
- Experience managing challenging, sensitive or emotionally charged discussions
- Strong listening, questioning and communication skills
- Understanding of professional boundaries, safeguarding and confidentiality
- The ability to deliver approved material faithfully while remaining natural and engaging
- Understanding of the pressures that can affect men in male-centric environments
- Ability to engage frontline workers, leaders, volunteers and charity staff
- Emotional maturity, self-awareness and sound judgement
- Commitment to collaborative working and existing support systems
- Willingness and ability to travel throughout the UK
- Alignment with Tough To Talk’s mission and TOUGH values
- A genuine commitment to upstream male suicide prevention
Desirable experience
The following would be advantageous:
- Current qualification or approval to deliver Suicide First Aid Lite (Heavy Industry – Men)
- Suicide First Aid Tutor or Tutor/Assessor experience
- Experience working in construction, infrastructure, engineering, manufacturing, transport, emergency services, utilities, hospitality, sport or another male-centric sector
- Experience working with charities supporting men affected by homelessness, addiction, financial hardship, justice involvement, family breakdown or isolation
- Experience delivering safeguarding, mental-health, suicide-prevention or psychologically informed training
- Relevant lived experience that can be used safely and appropriately
- Experience supporting peer-led or workplace-champion programmes
- Public speaking or keynote experience
- Experience of online community onboarding or continuing professional development
- Existing professional indemnity and public-liability arrangements appropriate to freelance training
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Lived experience
Tough To Talk values relevant lived experience.
Applicants will not be expected to disclose diagnoses, suicide attempts, trauma histories or other deeply personal information.
Where lived experience is used in delivery, it must:
- Serve the learning objective
- Be communicated safely
- Maintain appropriate personal boundaries
- Avoid placing emotional responsibility on delegates
- Support hope, understanding and practical action
- Never become the centre of the training
Training and support provided
The successful candidate will receive:
- Tough To Talk organisational induction
- Full Tough Talker programme training
- Guidance on the I²WE Framework
- Safe-suicide-communication training
- Role-boundary and safeguarding guidance
- Access to approved trainer materials
- Observed delivery and feedback
- Ongoing quality assurance and development
- Access to the Tough Talking Community
- Support to gain the required Suicide First Aid delivery qualification where agreed
Equality and inclusion
Tough To Talk is committed to fair and lawful recruitment.
Given the focus of our work and the importance of credible role models within male-centric environments, we particularly welcome applications from men.
Applications are open to all suitably qualified candidates, and appointments will be made on merit against the requirements of the role.
We also welcome applicants from varied cultural, racial, socioeconomic, professional and lived-experience backgrounds who can help us engage the full diversity of men and communities we serve.
Application process
Applicants should submit:
- A current CV
- Details of relevant training and coaching qualifications
- Current Suicide First Aid qualifications or tutor status
- Examples of audiences and sectors previously trained
- Home location and ability to travel
- Availability over the next 12 months
- A short statement explaining why the Tough To Talk mission matters to them
Send applications to:
Shortlisted candidates may be invited to:
- An initial interview
- Deliver a short training demonstration
- Discuss a sensitive delivery scenario
- Provide professional references
- Complete relevant safeguarding or client-required checks
- Undertake an observed or co-delivered courses before independent delivery
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills
Location