Let’s start with the statistics. One in ten young people experience a mental health issue at any one time. Suicide is the leading cause of death for those aged 5-19. In an average group of 30 15-year-olds:
Seven are likely to have been bullied
Six may be self-harming
One could have experienced the death of a parent
Record levels of young people are struggling. Academic pressure, social media, bullying, poverty, lack of availability of professional mental health support – all have been named by various sources as contributing to this epidemic of poor mental health in our young people.
It’s clear that young people are not getting the support they need. Key figures in a young person’s life – parents, family members, teachers, tutors, carers, youth workers – can often spot when a young person is struggling but may not know how best to help.
Learn to support young people
Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) courses are for everyone who works with, lives with or supports young people aged 8-18. They will teach you the skills and confidence to spot the signs of mental health issues in a young person, offer first aid and guide them towards the support they need. In doing so, you can speed up a young person’s recovery and stop a mental health issue from getting worse.
Our courses won't teach you to be a therapist, but we will teach you to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis - and even potentially stop a crisis from happening.
But more than that, we aim to give you the information and skills to look after your own mental health so that you can set an example for young people. By giving you the tools to have these conversations, we hope to empower you to create a mentally healthy, supportive environment in your family, school, peer group or community.
Let's create a future where mental health is treated as a normal part of life, in the same way as physical health. A future where every young person has access to support if they need it.
MFHA CHAMPION (1 DAY COURSE)
This one day course qualifies you as an MHFA Champion, giving you:
An understanding of common mental health issues
Knowledge and confidence to advocate for mental health awareness
Ability to spot signs of mental ill health
Skills to support positive wellbeing
Format:
One day face to face course
Learning takes place through a mix of presentations, group discussions and workshop activities
We limit numbers to 16 people per course so that the instructor can keep people safe and supported while they learn
Takeaways:
Everyone who completes the course gets:
A certificate of attendance to say you are an MHFA Champion
A manual to refer to whenever you need it
A quick reference card for the Mental Health First Aid action plan
A workbook including a helpful toolkit to support your own mental health
MHFA FIRST AIDER (2 DAY COURSE)
This two day course qualifies you as a Mental Health First Aider, giving you:
An in-depth understanding of mental health and the factors that can affect wellbeing
Practical skills to spot the triggers and signs of mental health issues
Confidence to step in, reassure and support a person in distress
Enhanced interpersonal skills such as non-judgemental listening
Knowledge to help someone recover their health by guiding them to further support - whether that’s self-help resources, through their employer, the NHS, or a mix
Format:
Two day face to face course across four manageable sessions
Learning takes place through a mix of presentations, group discussions and workshop activities
Each session is built around a Mental Health First Aid action plan
We limit numbers to 16 people per course so that the instructor can keep people safe and supported while they learn
Takeaways:
Everyone who completes the course gets:
A certificate of attendance to say you are a Mental Health First Aider
A manual to refer to whenever you need it
A quick reference card for the Mental Health First Aid action plan
A workbook including a helpful toolkit to support your own mental health
MHFA AWARENESS (1/2 DAY COURSE)
This introductory four hour session raises awareness of mental health. It covers:
What mental health is and how to challenge stigma
A basic knowledge of some common mental health issues
An introduction to looking after your own mental health and maintaining wellbeing
Confidence to support someone in distress or who may be experiencing a mental health issue
Format:
This introductory four hour session raises awareness of mental health. It covers:
What mental health is and how to challenge stigma
A basic knowledge of some common mental health issues
An introduction to looking after your own mental health and maintaining wellbeing
Confidence to support someone in distress or who may be experiencing a mental health issue
Takeaways:
Everyone who completes the course gets:
A certificate of attendance to say you are Mental Health Aware
A manual to refer to whenever you need it
A workbook including a helpful toolkit to support your own mental health
ADULT MHFA REFRESHER (1/2 DAY COURSE)
If you are a Mental Health First Aider or MHFA Champion you have skills for life that support you and the people around you.
We believe that mental health should be treated equally to physical health – and just like physical first aid, Mental Health First Aid training should be kept up to date.
The four hour Adult MHFA Refresher course will empower you to:
Keep your awareness of mental health supports current
Update your knowledge of mental health and what influences it
Practice applying the Mental Health First Aid action plan
Please note that the Adult MHFA Refresher is only for people who have completed an Adult MHFA one day or two day course.
Format:
Four hour face to face course
Learning takes place through a mix of presentations, group discussions and workshop activities
