youth mental health first aid

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Responder MHFA is passionate about reducing mental ill-health in young people and making sure that those who are struggling get appropriate help. The statistics are worrying:

• One in ten children will be diagnosed with a mental health disorder before the age of 15 (Office for National Statistics, 2005)
• For those aged 15 to 34 years, suicide is the most common cause of death (Office of National Statistics, 2010)
• Over half of mental ill health starts by age 15 and 75% develop by the age of 18
• Only 1/4 of young people with a mental health issue get access to the treatment and care they need

Early intervention is absolutely crucial in reducing the possible lifelong impact of mental ill-health on adolescent development, so having adults who are trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid is important. 

By training your staff in Youth MHFA you will:  

• Equip staff and students with the appropriate language to be able to talk about mental health and ill health in an appropriate and de-stigmatising way
• Help your staff to feel supported and confident in their ability to spot the signs and symptoms of mental ill health in young people and respond appropriately
• Enable students to access support early, limiting the impact of mental ill health on their development
• Create a climate where those with a long-term mental health issue can receive the support they need to flourish

There are three options for courses: 

• Youth Mental Health First Aid - Two Day course 
• Youth Mental Health Champion - One Day course
• Youth Mental Health Aware - Half Day course

The two day course qualifies you as a Youth Mental Health First Aider, giving you:

• An in-depth understanding of young people’s mental health and factors that affect wellbeing
• Practical skills to spot the triggers and signs of mental health issues 
• Confidence to reassure and support a young person in distress
• Enhanced interpersonal skills such as non-judgemental listening 
• Knowledge to help a young person recover their health by guiding them to further support 
• Ability to support a young person with a long term mental health issue or disability to thrive
• Tools to look after your own mental wellbeing 

The course is run face to face and is delivered via a mix of  presentations, group discussions and workshop activities. Learning is organised into four distinct sessions. Each session is built around a Mental Health First Aid action plan, teaching  you a structured, practical way to respond to someone experiencing a mental health crisis.  We limit numbers to 16 people per course so that the instructor can keep people safe and supported while they learn.

Everyone who completes the course gets:

• A certificate of attendance to say you are a Youth Mental Health First Aider
• A Youth MHFA manual to refer to whenever you need it
• A workbook including some helpful tools to support your own mental health

The standard value of the Youth Mental Health First Aid Two Day course is £300 per person. However, ResponderMHFA is offering it at a subsidised price of £250 per person. 

Although there are currently no face-to-face courses being run, if you are interested in registering your interest for a future face-to-face course, please click the button below and we will be in contact once these courses have resumed. 

This one day course qualifies you as a Youth MHFA Champion, giving you: 

• An understanding of common mental health issues and how they can affect young people
• Ability to spot signs of mental ill health in young people and guide them to a place of support
• Knowledge and confidence to advocate for mental health awareness
• Skills to support positive wellbeing

The course is run face to face and is delivered via a mix of  presentations, group discussions and workshop activities. Numbers are limited to 16 people per course so that the instructor can keep people safe and supported while they learn. 

Everyone who completes the course gets: 

• A certificate of attendance to say you are a Youth MHFA Champion
• A Youth MHFA manual to refer to whenever you need it

The standard value of the Youth MHFA Champion course is £200 per person. However, ResponderMHFA  is offering it at a subsidised price of £150 per person

Although there are currently no face-to-face courses being run, if you are interested in registering your interest for a future face-to-face course, please click the button below and we will be in contact once these courses have resumed. 

This introductory three hour session raises awareness of young people’s mental health. It covers:

• Some of the common mental health issues affecting young people, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders and psychosis
• Skills to work more effectively with young people living with mental health issues
• Ways to support young people with a mental health issue and relate to their experiences

This is a half day face to face course. Learning takes place through a mix of presentations, group discussions and workshop activities. Numbers are limited to 25 people per course 

Everyone who completes the sessions gets:

• A certificate to say you are Youth Mental Health Aware
• A manual to keep and refer to whenever you need it

The standard value of the Youth MHFA Aware course is £75 per person. However, ResponderMHFA  is offering it at a subsidised price of £60 per person

Although there are currently no face-to-face courses being run, if you are interested in registering your interest for a future face-to-face course, please click the button below and we will be in contact once these courses have resumed.