Course outcomes
As an MHFAider® you will be able to:
- Recognise those that may be experiencing poor mental health and provide them with first-level support and early intervention
- Encourage a person to identify and access sources of professional help and other supports
- Practise active listening and empathy
- Have a conversation with improved mental health literacy around language and stigma
- Discuss the MHFAider® role in depth, including boundaries and confidentiality
- Practise self-care
- Know how to use the MHFAider Support App®
- Know how to access a dedicated text service provided by Shout and ongoing learning opportunities with MHFA England
Format
Online or face-to-face course structured across four flexible sessions. Each session is a maximum of 3hrs 45mins and sessions can be delivered within a two-week period.
Learners will be trained over four live sessions with an MHFA England Instructor Member, covering 14 hours of content in total.
Learning takes place through a mix of instructor led training, group discussions, individual and group activities.
Each session builds on the previous, enabling the learner to gain confidence in supporting others with a Mental Health First Aid action plan.
We limit numbers to 16 people per course so that instructors can keep people safe and supported while they learn.
We strive for all of our learning content to be as accessible and inclusive as possible.
Takeaways
Everyone who completes this course gets:
A hard copy workbook to support their learning throughout the course
A digital manual to refer to whenever they need it after completing the course
A wallet-sized reference card with the Mental Health First Aid action plan
A digital MHFAider® certificate
Access to the MHFAider Support App® for three years
Access to ongoing learning opportunities, resources and exclusive events
The opportunity to be part of the largest MHFAider® community in England
Session 1
• Mental Health First Aid and the action plan
• The MHFAider® role and self-care
• Helpful and unhelpful language
• Useful models to support the role
Session 2
• What influences mental health?
• What is anxiety?
• Crisis first aid
• Active listening and empathy
• What are eating disorders?
• What is self-harm?
• What is substance misuse?
Session 3
• Applying the Mental Health First Aid action plan
• What is depression?
• What is suicide?
• Crisis first aid continued
• What is psychosis?
Session 4
• Recovery and lived experience
• Boundaries in the MHFAider® role
• Moving forward in the MHFAider® role
• My MHFA action plan