What is Mental Health First Aid Training?

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is the help we can give a person experiencing a mental health problem (such as depression, anxiety and psychosis), just as physical first aid is the help given to a person with a physical injury or health problem. The concept of MHFA originated in Australia, and has since been successfully introduced in 16 countries including England (2007), Scotland, Hong Kong, Thailand and the USA.

MHFA England is now a Community Interest Company, and is the only provider of instructor training programmes in England. The Royal Society for Public Health accredits the MHFA England instructors training. To read research and evaluations go to www.mhfaengland.org/about-us/mhfa-evaluations.

Mental Health First Aid 2 day Training Course - Norwich, Norfolk, Suffolk and England

Please go to HOME page for a list of current "open" courses or contact Beckie to discuss booking a course for your service/organisation.

Beckie Davies is an instructor approved by MHFA England to deliver the Adult 2-day MHFA and Youth 2-day MHFA course.

Experiencing the 2-day MHFA training educates and empowers you so that you are more able and confident to help colleagues, clients, customers, friends and family who may be experiencing mental health issues and help prevent problems getting worse.

An MHFA course will help you to:

Recognise early signs of a mental health problem
Feel more confident helping someone experiencing a problem
Provide help on a first aid basis
Help prevent someone from hurting themselves
Provide comfort to a person in distress or experiencing mental ill-health
Promote recovery and maintenance of positive mental health
Guide someone towards appropriate professional support and self-help
Help reduce the stigma of mental health problems

The course consists of presentation slides, pair and group learning exercises and video clips. An extensive training manual and a certificate from MHFA England is also provided.

For an outline of the course content “click here” (PDF doc)

Beckie can also deliver the 1-day MHFA Workplace and Half-day introductory MHFA course

Why Mental Health First Aid is important for you, your organisation or business?

“1 in 6 British adults and 1 in 10 British 5-16yr olds will be experiencing a mental health problem at any given time” (ONS)

It is therefore likely that someone we know: friends, colleagues, customers, employees or family members are currently experiencing mental health issues such as depression or anxiety disorders. We often do not spot the signs that someone else, or ourselves are struggling until very late and we know that the earlier a person receives the appropriate help, the less likely they are to develop more serious long term problems.

Training staff members in MHFA in your organisation indicates that you take your employees and clients wellbeing seriously. It can help you:

Reduce your sickness, absenteeism and presenteeism levels
Improve your productivity, recruitment and retention
Improve the outcomes for those returning to work
Fulfil your legal responsibilities including those under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Management of Safety at Work Act 1999 and the Equality Act 2010

Youth Mental Health First Aid

The Youth Mental Health First Aid 2-day course was launched by MHFA England in 2010. It is aimed at people working with, teaching, caring for or living with young people (aged 11-18), such as those working in youth services, education, primary care, voluntary and community agencies, parents and carers. This is an important new course (with the same aims as MHFA), especially as it is widely accepted that the earlier someone accesses appropriate help, the less likely they are to develop long term mental health problems. It teaches participants to recognise signs of emerging mental health and emotional problems in young people and how to support and guide the person to appropriate professional support and self help.

For an outline of the course content “click here” (PDF doc)

Catalyst East Anglia is one of the first providers of the 2 day YMHFA course in the country. Beckie Davies is also a member of the MHFA England National Training Team (Youth), training people to become instructors in YMHFA. For upcoming courses see HOME page. Please contact to book a course for your organisation.

(www.mhfaengland.org for more information on MHFA and details of the instructor course).

Page Content

What is MHFA Training?
MHFA 2 day training course...
Why MHFA is important for you, your org & business?
Youth MHFA
MHFA cost
Useful links

"I attended the first MHFA course at the UEA and it was one of the best things I have done. It made me realise how much we focus on our physical wellbeing and tend to neglect our mental health. As well as helping me understand more fully about mental health, banishing any preconceptions I may have had, I now understand the importance of raising awareness, as a mental health crisis could affect any one at any time and could be avoided through early intervention. I would recommend this course to everyone”. Nicky Davies PA to Equality and Diversity Manager UEA

“Work related mental ill health accounts for more days sickness than any other cause of work related illness” (The Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health Policy 8 – 2007). “Mental ill health costs UK businesses £1000 a year for every person they employ.Instead of running away from it, employers need to embrace the issue and createworkplaces that promote wellbeing” (Trevor Phillips – Sainsbury Centre for mental health 2007). Stress, anxiety and depression accounted for a 1/3 of the 168 million working days lost in the UK for health and related reasons in 2004, translating to a cost of sickness absence of about 4.1 billion (Confederation of British Industry 2005).

“Working with young people is a joy but it can also land you in some difficult spots. This course has given me the confidence to deal with situations where a young person may be in some sort of mental health crisis without going to pieces”. Steve, Voluntary Norfolk Youth Volunteering Development Manager

Mental Health First Aid 2 day Training Course - Norwich, Norfolk, Suffolk and England

Why Mental Health First Aid is important for you, your organisation or business?

MHFA Links

Useful Links

MHFA Cost