Become a Mental Health First Aider

 

 

Train as a Mental Health First Aider® and receive three years of certification, plus access to ongoing benefits by joining the Association of Mental Health First Aiders®.   

This course is ideal for individuals who would like to become an MHFAider® to gain the knowledge, awareness, and skills to spot signs of people experiencing poor mental health, be confident to start a conversation, and signpost a person to appropriate support.​ 

In addition to the course, you will become part of the largest dedicated community of Mental Health First Aiders in England, the Association of Mental Health First Aiders, gaining access to resources, ongoing learning, and 24/7 digital support, to give you the tools and knowledge you need to carry out the role effectively and confidently, whether that be in your workplace, a volunteer role, or in the community. 

 

 

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 of the 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  
  • The opportunity to join the Association of Mental Health First Aiders, England’s first and only membership body for Mental Health First Aiders. Members will receive exclusive access to a wide range of resources, from training and qualifications to events and research. This includes: 
  • The MHFAider Support App®. Access to features such as a 24/7 text support service, signposting to a national database of health services, and insights that teach critical self-care skills 
  • Access to the MHFA England Online Learning Hub. This includes resources such as course manuals and MHFAider® guides  
  • First-hand insights. Learn from real people sharing their honest and lived experiences of mental health conditions 
  • Online networking. Invites to exclusive quarterly webinars to help your MHFAiders carry out their role with confidence, skill, and care 

Monthly newsletters. MHFAiders will be kept up to date with all the latest news from our community