Aims

Train as a Mental Health First Aider (MHFAider®) and receive three years of certification, plus access to ongoing benefits.

This course is ideal for individuals who would like to become an MHFAider® to gain the knowledge 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 MHFAider® community in England, gaining access to resources, ongoing learning and 24/7 digital support through our MHFAider Support App®, 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 two flexible sessions. Each session is a maximum of 7hrs 30mins 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