Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a training course which teaches people how to identify, understand and help someone who may be experiencing a mental health issue. Sarah Ball, our assistant principal, is a qualified MHFA Adult trainer so offers this course to all of our students and staff regularly each academic year. Since introducing the course at The Sixth Form, an amazing 83 students and 45 staff members have completed it with more opportunities to take it coming up.
MHFA doesn’t teach our us to be a therapist, but it teaches us to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis – and even potentially stop a crisis from happening.
The students learnt to recognise warning signs of mental ill health and develop the skills and confidence to approach and support someone whilst keeping themselves safe.
Each of them learnt how to empower someone to access the support they might need for recovery or successful management of symptoms. This included self-help books or websites, accessing therapy services through their GP, their school or place of work, online self-referral, support groups, and much more.
What’s more, they also gained an understanding of how to support positive wellbeing and tackle stigma in the world around us.
By becoming an MHFAider® with MHFA England they all have access to continuous support – well beyond their initial certification – so we have 12 more confident, empowered and motivated students to carry out their role.
The students all found it incredibly useful with former Harper Green School student first year A level Biology, Chemistry and Psychology with EPQ student, Harry, saying:
" I loved doing the Mental Health First Aider course, it was an amazing experience where I learnt valuable skills that I will use in all aspects of life. It really widened my perspective of mental health and now I feel that I have the confidence and ability to help someone when they may be in need. Also, the course leader was extremely nice and explained everything clearly and made you feel comfortable."
Sarah Ball, Assistant Principal who lead the course commented:
Once again this is a huge achievement, and all have committed themselves to the challenging content of the MHFA course. These MH First Aiders will now go on to reduce stigma around mental health, encourage support, reduce discrimination surrounding mental health and offer a positive outlook of recovery to all.
A huge congratulations to all of our MHFAider®s, they have achieved a fantastic qualification that will help and support both themselves, friends, family, peers and colleagues.
All MHFAiders get three years’ access to MHFAider® support and benefits which includes 24/7 digital support through the MHFAider Support App®. From there, they will find exclusive resources, ongoing learning opportunities and the benefit of joining England’s largest community of trained MHFAiders®. If you would like further information and wish to join us as an MHFAider please contact sball@bolton-sfc.ac.uk
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