A ‘Mental Health First Aider’ can offer initial comfort and support in a crisis until help arrives. After attending this course, delegates can help to promote a greater understanding of mental ill-health and recovery in the workplace and be more confident in their approach to help someone in distress.
Course Context
Scotland’s Mental Health First Aid (SMHFA) 2-day course helps delegates to become more informed about how to respond to a mental health crisis and covers the most common mental health problems. Participants develop skills in asking appropriate questions; listening without judgement; giving reassurance that recovery is possible; and providing information about where help can be found.
The SMHFA course does not train people to be mental health workers. It offers an overview of mental ill-health in the workplace and helps to remove stigma and fear. Delegates practise listening and responding skills which give them confidence to provide initial support to a person in distress in a real-life situation.
Mental Health First Aid is an initial response to distress, in the same way as physical first aid is an initial response to an injury. The support provided by a First Aider is only given until other suitable or professional help can be accessed.
Training Delivery
This training is delivered as an 'in-house' course for up to 15 people, or a minimum of 8 people attending. The SMHFA course takes 12 hours to complete and is delivered over 2 full days (consecutive or separate days, depending on availability).
The course is facilitated by a qualified SMHFA instructor and quality is continuously monitored by Public Health Scotland.
This is an interactive course which includes group discussions, analysis of case studies, video clips and scenario exercises. The instructor will ensure that all delegates feel supported and will be sensitive to the issues raised during the course.
Who Is It For?
The SMHFA training course is suitable for anyone with an interest in mental wellbeing in the workplace.
Key Benefits
- Respond appropriately in a mental health crisis. This course helps delegates build confidence to turn knowledge into action.
- Recognise when a person might need help, i.e. spot the signs of distress.
- Help save a life by learning basic suicide intervention skills.
- Appreciate that anyone can be affected by mental ill-health and understand the factors which influence our wellbeing.
- Approach a person with confidence and ask the appropriate questions when you notice a deterioration in their mental health.
- Reassure a person that recovery is possible with the correct support.
- Share knowledge with others in the workplace about mental ill-health and how the ‘first aid approach’ can help people in distress and potentially save a life.
Course Content
- Guidance on being a Mental Health First Aider; explanation of the ‘first aid response.’
- Statistics and facts relating to mental ill-health in the workplace
- Attitudes to mental health issues; stigma; equalities; discrimination
- Factors that influence our wellbeing
- The mental health continuum – a model which illustrates how our mental health fluctuates according to internal and external factors.
- Listening and responding skills
- Explanation and practice of a framework (ALGEE), to help support a person in distress
- The recovery message – how recovery is not only possible but probable if we all feel able to talk about our mental health and can access appropriate support
- The impact of alcohol and drugs on mental health
- Introduction to suicide intervention
- Explanation of self-harm and PTSD
- Understanding depression, anxiety and psychosis and how to offer first aid to someone in distress or advice of where to get help.
- Self-help strategies
All delegates will receive a comprehensive manual containing relevant websites for further information on each topic covered in the course. On completion of the course, delegates will receive a certificate of attendance from Public Health Scotland.
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England
Please click here for details of the MHFA England 2-day course.
Testimonials for Scotland's Mental Health First Aid course:
“This training helped me practise asking questions which I previously would have found difficult to ask, such as asking someone
if they had suicidal thoughts. I now know how I would go about speaking to someone who is in distress and give them
reassurance that someone is listening to them and helping them access the correct support.”
"[The trainer] could not have been any more engaging if he tried. He maintained your attentions throughout and was
wonderful in covering content which is quite difficult.”
Related Training Courses
Mental Health Awareness Training for Managers
As managers play a key role in supporting their team members’ physical and mental health, this 1-day course endorses the importance of workplace mental health and equips managers with the basic knowledge essential to supporting a mental health diagnosis.
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Mental Health Awareness: Training for all Employees
As basic training for all in mental health awareness is considered good practice, this course is suitable for anyone working in a team environment. Focusing on the most common mental health problems, the training includes recognising signs and symptoms and advice on practical strategies to support others.
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Scotland's MHFA Refresher Training
This 2-hour interactive workshop aims to help Scottish Mental Health First Aiders refresh their skills, knowledge and resources. Facilitated by an SMHFA Instructor, participants will revisit the key concepts of applying a mental health first aid approach and discuss best practice to help them continue to support others effectively.
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WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS SAY
"The quality of the training has been fantastic and our employees are really engaging with the trainer and getting something out of it. Also In Equilibrium makes the whole process very easy to arrange."
"We wanted to provide a course that taught useful and practical coping strategies that our members could put into place straight away. In Equilibrium’s experience showed us that they could provide this, and they tailored the course perfectly."
"In-Equilibrium recently presented Mental Health Awareness to Managers in all of our area offices. The training was really well received and all of the trainers were praised for their in-depth knowledge and understanding."
"The training was very well received by staff who now all intend to implement the session’s practical tips and techniques into their existing roles. A large proportion of the staff rated the facilitator and their delivery as excellent and their only recommendation was for a further and longer session!"
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