Did you know 1 in 5 Australians will experience mental illness in any given year? (National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2022). This could be a family member, friend, co-worker, community member or a client dealing with a mental health issue. Mental health first aid training can help everyone.
Understanding how to talk about mental health and having the confidence to help someone in need are vital skills that have a far-reaching effect. Formal Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training offers a set of skills to support you to have a conversation with someone who has a mental illness or is experiencing a mental health challenge. Sometimes this can make all the difference by just having someone who is prepared to listen.
Advocare’s commitment to mental health
Recently, Advocare’s care finder team completed a Mental Health First Aid training course, equipping them with more skills to support the older, vulnerable West Australians they may encounter in their day-to-day work who may be experiencing mental health challenges.
This training aligns perfectly with Advocare’s mission to empower individuals and to promote a culture of care within the community.
What did they learn?
MHFA training helps participants learn how to:
- Recognise early signs of mental health issues like depression or anxiety.
- Approach and listen to someone in a supportive, non-judgemental way.
- Offer practical support and guide individuals to professional help.
- Respond calmly in crisis situations such as when a person’s experiencing a panic attack or suicidal thoughts.
- Encourage people to seek professional help when needed.
- Support someone’s recovery journey while respecting their autonomy.
Of course, another noteworthy outcome of the training is its ability to help reduce the societal stigma surrounding mental health by fostering open and supportive conversations, allowing people to feel possibly more at ease in seeking help and support.
Care finder reflections
Their recent training left a lasting impression on many team members. Here are some thoughts from a few staff:
“Mental Health First Aid training gave me the tools to better manage complex clients through the understanding of behaviours and actions.”
“The information was valuable, especially learning about the Mental Health Ambulance, which will be useful in case of a crisis with clients. Reinforcing the importance of calm and clear communication in these situations was also beneficial.”
“Mental Health First Aid is important because it equips individuals with the skills to recognise early signs of mental health challenges, provide immediate support, and guide someone toward professional help, ultimately promoting well-being and preventing crises.”
Can your team or colleagues be a supporter of Mental Health First Aid training? Perhaps consider adding a trained Mental Health First Aider to your First Aid team, as we have. Together we can build a community where people look out for one another, don’t feel alone and are heard when life throws out its curve balls.
