Mental Health First Aid

[Who will benefit from this training?] [What is Mental Health First Aid?] [How will MHFA benefit your organisation?] [Why is NIACE providing Mental Health First Aid training?] [Who are our trainers?] [What does the course cover?] [Event Information] [Application Conditions] [Application Form]

Who will benefit from this training?

The Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course will benefit anyone who might encounter someone (either in the workplace or in their life outside of work) who needs ‘first aid’ assistance because of a mental health problem. That is potentially any one of us.

The course is relevant to all staff in all types of learning provision, whether frontline, management or support staff; working with learners, staff or partners, including:

• work-based learning providers and apprenticeships
• colleges
• adult and community learning
• higher education.

Other groups who have benefited from MHFA training include:

• employers who are recognising the benefit of training their frontline and human resources staff in MHFA
• key people in communities (e.g. community activists; the local post worker; and staff in the GP, corner shop and library) so that they can offer a better initial response to emotional distress
• health service providers (including mental health services)
• police and other emergency services
• voluntary, community and faith groups and families affected by mental health difficulties.

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What is Mental Health First Aid?

Mental health problems are very common (affecting as many as one in four of us). They include stress, anxiety, depression, substance misuse and less common conditions such as psychosis. These conditions can lead people to feel so distressed that they may act in a way that puts themselves or sometimes others at risk of harm (such as suicide, self-harm or losing touch with reality). Unfortunately, people may not always realise that they are developing mental health problems or experiencing a crisis and even if they do, most of us don’t know enough about mental health to be able to intervene appropriately in these emergency situations.

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is the help that any of us can give to someone experiencing a mental health problem before obtaining professional help. It is similar to the first aid for physical accidents and emergencies that we are all familiar with but the focus is on being able to provide a knowledgeable, effective (and sometimes life-saving) response to someone needing assistance because of their mental distress.

MHFA won’t teach you to be a therapist... but it will teach you to:

• Spot the early signs of a range of mental health conditions
• Feel confident to intervene and help someone experiencing a problem
• Provide help on a first aid basis
• Guide someone towards the right help
• Reduce the stigma of mental health problems.

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How will MHFA benefit your organisation?

‘I feel more confident in supporting staff with mental health difficulties’
Course participant

Anyone in any learning and skills setting might need to receive or use mental health first aid skills. Ensuring that you have staff trained to respond appropriately (to other staff, learners and visiting members of the public) can help to:

• Promote the wellbeing of your workforce, your learners and members of the public accessing your premises as part of your local community
• Improve health and safety risk management in your organisation
• Contribute to safeguarding arrangements for all vulnerable learners
• Prevent manageable situations turning into damaging incidents
• Enhance your equalities strategy by helping to tackle the stigma and discrimination associated with mental health conditions and building the confidence of your staff to work with learners, colleagues and customers who have experience of mental health conditions
• Act as a catalyst for improved local partnership working with a wide range of statutory and third sector organisations which work to support people who have mental health conditions
• Positively benefit the mental health of participants who undertake the training
• Provide better support to learners who have experience of mental health problems
• Encourage staff and learners experiencing mental health problems to declare this - knowing they will receive support and appropriate interventions and adjustments to help them succeed in their learning/ employment.

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Why is NIACE providing Mental Health First Aid training?

Through its partnership work with the former Learning and Skills Council and mental health organisations NIACE has a respected reputation for contributing to work on mental health and adult learning. We led the national and regional programme of work in the further education sector to improve access to and success in learning and skills for adults who have experience of mental health difficulties and helped to develop the vision contained in the LSC Mental Health Strategy - The Way Forward (2009). MHFA training can make a positive contribution to learning providers as part of developing a whole organisation approach to mental health for their learners and staff.

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Who are our trainers?

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What does the course cover?

MHFA is a nationally recognised 12-hour course, delivered over two consecutive days. It comprises the following 4 sessions:

Day 1 - 10:00am to 5:00pm

Session 1

• Why mental health first aid?
• Mental health policy in England
• Common mental health problems
• Attitudes and anti-stigma campaigns
• What is depression?
• Symptoms of depression
• Alcohol, drugs and depression
• Depression in the workplace.

Session 2

• Suicide in England
• Mental health policy in England.
  

Day 2  - 9:00am to 4:00pm

Session 3

• Anxiety
• Other expressions of distress, including self-harm.

Session 4

• Psychosis
• Action planning for using MHFA - what does this mean for you.

Each participant will receive a certificate from Mental Health First Aid England and the MHFA handbook, which contains further information on the four key areas covered in the
course and contact details for organisations where further help, advice and guidance can be obtained.

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Event Information

Event fee per person: (includes sandwich lunch, tea/coffee)
£245 (Non NIACEmembers rate)
£199 (NIACEmembers rate)
NB: NIACE does not charge VAT on conference or course fees. 

Only application forms with the payments section completed will be processed. NB: If you wish us to invoice your employer we require a copy of the Purchase Order before the form is processed. 

Places will be allocated in order of receipt of completed application forms (one form per person) 

Video cameras may be in use at this event. If you do not wish to be photographed or appear on the video outputs please indicate this on the application form and make yourself known at registration 

Participants should be prepared to take their own notes as there will not be handouts for all sessions 

If you have not received an e-mail confirming your attendance and joining instructions 4 working days before the event please contact:

NIACE Events Team
Tel: 0116 285 9661
Fax: 0116 285 9670
Minicom: 0116 255 6049
E-mail: events@niace.org.uk

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Application Conditions

Event: Tuesday 6th - Wednesday 7th March 2012

Closing Date: Tuesday 21 February 2012

The full fee is payable prior to the event 

Fees are non-refundable

Substitutions are to be advised 5 working days prior to the event 

A 15 working days notice period is required for provision of electronic note-takers, sign language interpreters and transcription to Braille 

Places can be reserved online via: www niace.org.uk/events Alternatively completed and signed application forms can be faxed or posted to NIACE by the closing date. Reservations by telephone cannot be accepted 

Application forms are individually acknowledged by e-mail. Joining instructions, including map and directions, will be e-mailed out one week before the event. 

NIACE reserves the right to reject applicants

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Application Form

Please book on-line