Mental Health First Aid England 1/2 Day Training Course

The MHFA half-day Mental Health Awareness is an introductory course designed to increase mental health awareness and give an understanding of how to look after wellbeing and challenge stigma. When you complete your course you will get a certificate of attendance and a manual to keep and refer to whenever you need it.

Who should attend

The MHFA half-day Mental Health Awareness is an introductory course designed to increase mental health awareness and give an understanding of how to look after wellbeing and challenge stigma. When you complete your course you will get a certificate of attendance and a manual to keep and refer to whenever you need it.

What is Mental Health First Aid?

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an internationally recognised training course which teaches people how to spot the signs and symptoms of mental ill health and provide help on a first aid basis. MHFA England training won’t teach you to be a therapist, but just like physical first aid, it will teach you to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis. Adult MHFA England courses are for everyone aged 16 upwards. Every MHFA England course is delivered by a quality assured Instructor Member who has attended the Instructor Training programme accredited by the Royal Society for Public Health, and is trained to keep people safe and supported while they learn.

Research and statistics

• To date over 400,000 people across England have taken an MHFA England course
• There are about 1,800 registered MHFA England Instructor Members in England
• Numerous independent evaluations demonstrate that MHFA training is effective at meeting its aims. A summary of research can be found at mhfaengland.org. 
• One in four people in the UK will experience at least one diagnosable mental health issue in any one year (Health & Social Care Information Centre, 2009)
• Suicide is the biggest killer of men aged 20 to 49 (Office for National Statistics, 2015)
• Mental ill health is responsible for the largest burden of ill health in the UK, representing 28% of the total burden, compared to 16% for cancer and 16% for heart disease (Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer, 2013)

Course information

This remotely facilitated 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

Assessment

Learning takes place through a mix of presentations, group discussions and workshop activities.

Certification

Everyone who completes the course receives:

• 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