A membership body that aims to support mental health first aiders has been launched, as poor mental health remains a concern across the workforce.
The Association of Mental Health First Aiders has been developed by Mental Health First Aid England (MHFA England), which aims to support a community of MHFAs long after they have completed their training.
Mental health first aid has been a divisive issue among workplace wellbeing and mental health specialists, with some arguing that it puts too much pressure on employees who volunteer to undertake the role on top of their usual work responsibilities.
MHFA England, which delivers initial and refresher training for MHFAs, has previously said employers should offer ongoing support for people in the role, who are trained to signpost colleagues towards where they can access support if they are struggling with their mental health.
Support mental health first aiders
Four ways employers can support mental health first aiders
Mixed response to MP’s mandatory mental health first aid training proposal
Study: No reliable evidence of mental health first aid’s effectiveness
It will soon invite people who have completed MHFA training in the past three years to join the association.
Sarah McIntosh, managing director of the Association of Mental Health First Aiders said: “Every day our MHF Aiders are having life-changing and lifesaving conversations. We need to support them to keep doing so.
“Building mental health literacy has always been central to our training. The Association is the next stage of empowering a growing community of mental health first aiders to tackle stigma and lead transformative change in our workplaces and beyond.
“The Association of Mental Health First Aiders offers a pioneering, human response to the pressing mental health issues we face as a society. Its launch represents a huge step forward in mental health support, one that prioritises prevention, early intervention, and support.”
MHFA England research found that 94% of MHFAs believe they are challenging the stigma around poor mental health, while 91% see their role as critical in saving lives.
Half (54%) use their skills more than once a week, while a further 29% use them at least once a month.
Sophie Bradfield, a policy officer at a local authority, said her MHFA skills helped her to support someone experiencing a psychotic episode.
“One of the things that stuck in my mind from the MHFA training was not to challenge someone’s delusions or go along with them but acknowledge their feelings showing empathy and kindness,” she said.
“We managed to de-escalate the situation and I’m pleased to say the person was given the professional help that they needed.
“After the incident, I was also able to offer support to colleagues who witnessed the event. They were understandably upset and scared, so to be able to explain calmly what that person might have been going through was very helpful to them.”
John Fielding, staff manager at First Bus, said: “In the workplace, one experience really sticks with me. It was quite soon after I finished my training and a driver came into the depot one day and out of the blue and asked if he could have a chat. Of course, I said yes, and he explained that he was struggling. So, we chatted about how he felt and what he was struggling with. I helped him to understand the support services that were available to him and off he went, and I didn’t really think much more about it.
“He was signed off work for a little while but when he came back to work, he came straight to see me. He told me that I had been his last hope and as he put it, he was ready to drive his car off a cliff. He said I had saved his life that day by giving him hope and showing him where he could go for support.”
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
