Bukhman Philanthropies has announced an £800,000 grant to Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) to support a three-year partnership focused on suicide prevention among young people in the UK.
Suicide is now the leading cause of death for young people in the UK. Yet CALM's research has found that 65 per cent of UK adults would not know where to turn for practical support if they needed to help a young person with suicidal thoughts, and just 27 per cent would feel confident asking someone directly whether they are experiencing suicidal thoughts. The result is missed opportunities for early intervention and life-saving conversation.
The partnership will support the expansion of CALM's C.A.R.E. framework - Check In, Ask, Remain, Expert Help - a practical, evidence-based approach that equips people with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to have difficult conversations before a moment of crisis.
CALM's C.A.R.E. Kit, launched in January 2025 as part of its Missed Birthdays campaign, is an interactive digital toolkit that guides trusted adults - parents, teachers, sports coaches, youth workers, community leaders - through these conversations with scenario-based guidance, conversation prompts, and clear signposting to expert help. Since its launch, the C.A.R.E. Kit has been accessed over 180,000 times and maintains a 92 per cent user satisfaction score.
Bukhman Philanthropies' funding will enable CALM to develop the C.A.R.E. framework into a coherent, scalable prevention system, with new tools designed for specific audiences including young adults themselves, parents, and teachers. This work takes on particular significance following the UK Government's announcement that suicide prevention and grief education will become a compulsory part of the school curriculum.
The partnership will also support CALM in safely and ethically exploring how AI can enhance these tools - including real-time conversation practice - to extend the reach and impact of the framework. By the end of the three-year project, CALM aims to have reached approximately 2.34 million users across the UK, with 65 per cent of those being young adults.
Daria Bukhman, Co-Founder and Chair of Bukhman Philanthropies, said:
"Suicide prevention does not start in a moment of crisis - it starts long before. What drew me to CALM's work is its focus on giving people the practical tools and confidence to have conversations that can save lives, before someone reaches the point where they feel there is no way forward. The C.A.R.E. framework turns good intentions into clear, actionable steps, and I am proud that Bukhman Philanthropies can support its expansion to reach more people across the UK."
CALM's vision is of a world in which no one dies by suicide, https://www.bukhmanphilanthropies.org/mental-health creating a culture in which we are all willing and able to prevent suicide, for ourselves and for each other.
Mental health and wellbeing is one of three focus areas for Bukhman Philanthropies, alongside neonatal and maternal health and literature. To learn more, visit bukhmanphilanthropies.org.
If you or someone you know is struggling, CALM's helpline and webchat are available daily from 5pm to midnight at thecalmzone.net.