Youth Mental Health First Aid (Lite) Workshops Information

Mental health is just as important to our overall wellbeing as physical health, in some cases more so, yet we tend to pay far less attention to it. The mental health of young people is particularly important. Half of all long-term mental illness in adulthood starts by 15 and three quarters by 18. 

Youth workers and coaches can do a great deal to prevent this, without being experts. We train to give physical first aid without hesitation – so why not mental first aid too? 

Local authorities up and down the country see mental health as their top priority. They know that ignoring the problem is unaffordable because of the impact on the economy: young people with mental health problems find it harder to get or stay in work, they are more likely to get into legal trouble and will need more attention from their GP or hospital. Interventions, such as Mental Health First Aid, are both evidence-based and cost-effective.

Training your volunteers and coaches is money well spent and will allow your organisation to make a vital contribution to the health of the local population.

What Is It About?

Learners will explore the most common mental health conditions experienced by young people and discover what youth and sport workers can do to prevent and/or intervene when needed.  The ‘Lite’ version provides a taster of the content for the ‘Full’ course.  Learners on the full course cover topics such as child and adolescent development, bullying and cyber bullying, substance misuse and protective factors. 

Learners will be able to:

•     challenge the discrimination surrounding mental health

       define mental health & common issues

•     relate to other people's experiences

•     look after their own mental health

• protect a young person who may be at risk
• spot the signs of mental health issues in young people
• give help, support and guidance to any young person who needs it

Who Is It For?

Volunteers, coaches and project managers

Minimum Age

16 years

Pre-Requisites

There are no pre-requisites for this course. 

Course Length

Short Course: 3 hours

Full Course: 2 days

Course Structure

3 hour (Short Course) or 2 day (Full Course) hours of delivery by qualified tutors that will involve interactive presentations and group discussions. Both courses addresses sensitive issues but you won’t be required to do anything with which you are not comfortable. 

Assessment

There is no formal assessment for this training

Resources and Certification

Everyone attending either the Intro or Full Course receives a mental health first aid manual and an attendance certificate. 

Youth MHFA is an internationally recognised training programme designed specifically for people who teach, work, live with or care for young people aged 8 – 18. The training programme is delivered by qualified Youth MHFA instructors who provide information, tools and techniques to promote a young person’s mental and emotional wellbeing. 

Our Youth MHFA course is split up into four manageable chunks. These are:

• What is mental health?
• Anxiety and depression
• Suicide and psychosis
• Self harm, substance misuse and eating disorders 

You will also cover other topics specific to young people that include child and adolescent development, psychosis, bullying/cyber bullying and promoting protective factors and good parenting. 

The Youth MHFA course usually takes place over two full days. However, the delivery of this course is very flexible and may be delivered over a number of sessions. The sessions will be a mix of presentation, group discussions and group work activities. Our instructors provide a very safe learning environment and are trained to support you throughout the whole course. If you don’t feel comfortable joining in certain bits, then don’t. We won’t make you do something you aren’t comfortable with. 

• Youth MHFA teaches practical skills that can be used every day.
• It gives a deeper understanding to the complex issues relating to young people and mental health.
• It helps people recognise the signs and symptoms of mental health problems and enables them to provide initial help.
• It enables a young person to access appropriate professional help.
• MHFA England has a proven track record and demonstrates its effectiveness through evaluation