​Overview
This online course qualifies you as a Mental Health First Aider, giving you:

• An in-depth understanding of mental health and the factors that can affect wellbeing
• Practical skills to spot the triggers and signs of mental health issues
• Confidence to step in, reassure and support a person in distress
• Enhanced interpersonal skills such as non-judgemental listening
• Knowledge to help someone recover their health by guiding them to further support - whether that’s self-help resources, through their employer, the NHS, or a mix

 
​Cost
£300 per person.

Format

• 4 x 2 hour live sessions with self-learning activities in between, spread across two weeks
  
• Delivered online through the MHFA England Online Learning Hub
• Learning takes place through a mix of presentations, group discussions and workshop activities
• Each session is built around a Mental Health First Aid action plan
• Maximum of 16 people per course so that the instructor can keep people safe and supported while they learn​

Takeaways
Everyone who completes the course gets:

• A certificate of attendance to say you are a Mental Health First Aider
• A printed manual to refer to whenever you need it
• A quick reference card for the Mental Health First Aid action plan
• A workbook including a helpful toolkit to support your own mental health

Technical Requirements
For the best possible experience participants require:

• A computer, laptop, MacBook or tablet with speakers, microphone, and video capabilities 

joining from a smartphone is not recommended

• A stable high-speed internet connection
• Private space where you can work uninterrupted
• Access to zoom video conferencing (it is free to download)
• Click here to review the system requirements for zoom
• Click here to try out a zoom test meeting

Agenda

Session 1

Individual learning (1 hour):

• Introduction to the Online Mental Health First Aid course and the Online Learning Hub (course overview, safety procedure, attending live sessions, and completing individual learning activities)
• Activity 1: Why Mental Health First Aid?
• Activity 2: The Mental Health First Aid action plan
• Activity 3: What is mental health?
• Activity 4: Quiz: Impact of mental health
• Activity 5: Stress Container (completed after live session)
• Activity 6: Frame of Reference (completed after live session)

Live session (1 hour 45 minutes):

• Introduction to course functions
• Introduction to the course
• ALGEE and mental health introduction recap
• Stigma
• Risk and protective factors
• 10 minute break
• Frame of Reference
• The Mental Health Continuum
• Introduction to the Stress Container

Session 2

Individual learning (2 hours):

• Activity 7: What is depression?
• Activity 8: Risk factors for depression
• Activity 9: Mental Health First Aid for depression
• Activity 10: Introduction to suicide

Live session (2 hours 20 minutes):

• Recap of individual learning on depression
• Prevalence of suicide
• Suicide, substance misuse and dual diagnosis
• Analyse the impact of suicidal feelings
• Recap of ALGEE and risk factors for suicide
• Explain Mental Health First Aid action plan 1 for suicide
• 10 minute break
• Explain non-judgemental listening, Empathy video
• Practice using ALGEE in case study scenarios
• Review of ALGEE for suicide and depression
• Self-care

Session 3

​Individual learning (2 hours):

• Activity 11: What is anxiety?
• Activity 12: Mental Health First Aid for anxiety
• Activity 13: What are eating disorders?
• Activity 14: Mental Health First Aid for eating disorders
• Activity 15: What is self-harm?
• Activity 16: Mental Health First Aid for self-harm
• Activity 17: What are personality disorders?

​Live session (2 hours):

• Recap of individual learning on anxiety
• Recap of the five basic steps of ALGEE for anxiety
• Explain action 1 for anxiety
• How to support someone who is having a panic attack
• Explain crisis first aid
• Practice action 2: non-judgemental listening
• 10 minute break
• Practice applying the Mental Health First Aid action plan for anxiety
• Explain cognitive behavioural therapy
• Recap of eating disorders and self-harm
• Case study for eating disorders and self-harm
• Review ALGEE for eating disorders and self-harm

Session 4

Individual learning (2 hours):

• Activity 18: What are psychosis, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder?
• Activity 19: Risk factors for psychosis
• Activity 20: Mental Health First Aid for psychosis
• Activity 21: Helpful and unhelpful responses
• Workbook Activity 10: My action plan for using Mental Health First Aid (completed after live session)

Live session (1 hour 55 minutes): 

• Review of individual learning on psychosis
• Explain the development of symptoms of psychosis
• Review the five steps of ALGEE for psychosis
• Group discussion about MHFA Australia psychosis video
• Case study activity using Mental Health First Aid action plan for psychosis
• 10 minute break
• Recovery
• Explore how to build a mentally healthy workplace
• Start action plan to use Mental Health First Aid
• Feedback