Mental Health First Aider – 2 Days

Description

Become a Mental Health First Aider and manage mental wellbeing in your workplace.

Around 1 in 4 of us experience mental health issues at any one time and as a result around 72 million working days are lost per year (according to the Centre for Mental Health).

This in-depth 2 day course, accredited by MHFA England, looks into common mental health conditions and takes you through techniques designed to help those experiencing distress.

During the course, you cover topics such as recognise the signs and symptoms of mental health issues; helping employees/colleagues receive support and promoting mental health wellbeing in the workplace.

All in all, enabling you to support employees in distress, start productive mental health conversations and support your company with its mental health policy.

Find our upcoming open course dates above.

Course Contents

Over the 2 days, you’ll gain an understanding of mental health and the factors that affect wellbeing as well as symptoms of mental health issues, non-judgmental conversation techniques and access to further support.

The days are split into 4 sessions each lasting approximately ½ a day:

Session 1

• Mental Health First Aid: An Overview
• Action Plan
  • 1) Approach, assess and assist with a mental health crisis
  • 2) Listen non-judgementally
  • 3) Give support and information
  • 4) Encourage professional help
  • 5) Encourage other support
• Mental Health: A Background
• The impact of mental health issues
• Stigma and discrimination associated with mental health
• Depression
  • Symptoms
  • Risks
  • In the workplace

Session 2

• Suicide
  • First Aid for Suicidal Crises
• Alcohol, drugs and mental health
• Non-judgemental listening skills
  • How to implement
  • When to implement
• First Aid for depression
• Treatment and resources for depression
• Self care

Session 3

• Anxiety
  • What is it?
  • First aid for anxiety
  • Alcohol, drugs and anxiety
  • Treatment for anxiety
  • Resources for anxiety
• First aid for a traumatic event
• Cognitive distrotions
• Cognitive behavioural therapy
• Personality disorders
• Eating disorders
• Self harm

Session 4

• Psychosis
  • Risks
  • Alcohol, drugs and psychosis
  • Signs of development
  • First aid for acute psychosis
  • Treatment
  • Resources
• Schizophrenia
• Bipolar disorder
• Recovery
• Building resources
• Action planning using Mental Health First Aid

Assessment and Certification

This Mental Health First Aider course involves a mixture of presentations, group discussions and workshop activities. Unlike other courses, there is no formal assessment at the end of the course.

Therefore, all candidates that complete the course will receive a Mental Health First Aider certificate accredited by MHFA England.

On the course, you receive a:

• Mental health first aid manual
• Mental health action plan reference card
• Workbook including information on supporting your own mental health

Your certificate is valid for 3 years, after which time, you must retake a course to continue working as a Mental Health first aider.

Who needs Mental Health First Aid training?

Every workplace be that a school, office, factory or construction site, is responsible for the welfare of their staff. A mental health first aid course is a great way to ensure you are looking after your staff’s mental wellbeing and therefore maintaining a healthy workforce.

The Mental Health First Aider course is designed for those in management positions such as:

• HR managers
• Employers
• Line Managers
• Supervisors
• Site managers

However, the course is also great for those looking to support mental health wellbeing within a workplace.

Objectives of Mental Health First Aid

Your role is to offer non-judgmental support to those experiencing mental health issues.

Therefore, the objectives for mental health first aid include:

• Outlining common mental health issues, triggers and symptoms
• Giving the mental health first aider confidence to start difficult conversations surrounding mental health
• Increasing a candidate’s social awareness
• Providing information on how to guide an employee to further support

The Role of a Mental Health First Aider

The role of the mental health first aider is not to provide therapy!

A mental health first aider is there as a point of contact for employees experiencing emotional distress.

Therefore, your responsibilities include:

• Spotting early signs of mental ill health
• Starting supportive conversations
• Listening non judgmentally
• Assessing the risk of suicide or self harm
• Keeping yourself well and in good mental health
• Following your workplace mental health policies
• Communicating any mental health issues back to the appropriate person
• Ensuring confidentiality
• Keeping appropriate boundaries between yourself and employees