Become a Mental Health First Aider
Mental ill health affects us all
Would you know how to help?
We all have mental health, just as we all have physical health. Mental ill health can strike at any time and can affect people from all walks of life.
Although things are improving, stigma still exists around mental ill health. As a society, we don't tend to know how to take care of our mental health like we do our physical health. This means that people may not know how to support a friend, family member or colleague experiencing a mental health issue, or where to go for support with their own mental health.

Become a Mental Health First Aider (MHFAider®)
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England is a training course which teaches people how to identify, understand and help someone who may be experiencing a mental health issue.
MHFA won’t teach you to be a therapist, but it will teach you to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis – and even potentially stop a crisis from happening.
You’ll learn to recognise warning signs of mental ill health, and develop the skills and confidence to approach and support someone while keeping yourself safe.
You’ll also learn how to empower someone to access the support they might need for recovery or successful management of symptoms. This could include self-help books or websites, accessing therapy services through their GP, their school or place of work, online self-referral, support groups, and more.
What’s more, you’ll gain an understanding of how to support positive wellbeing and tackle stigma in the world around you.
What’s involved?
This two day course trains you as a MHFAider®, giving you:
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An in-depth understanding of mental health and the factors that can affect wellbeing
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Practical skills to spot the triggers and signs of mental health issues
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Confidence to step in, reassure and support a person in distress
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Enhanced interpersonal skills such as non-judgemental listening
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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
Format
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A face-to-face course delivered across four manageable sessions
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Learning takes place through a mix of presentations, group discussions and workshop activities
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Each session is built around a Mental Health First Aid action plan
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We limit numbers to 16 people per course so that the instructor can keep people safe and supported while they learn
Takeaways
Everyone who completes the course gets:
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A hard copy workbook to support their learning throughout the course
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A digital manual to refer to whenever they need it after completing the course
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A wallet-sized reference card with the Mental Health First Aid action plan
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A digital MHFAider® certificate
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Access to the MHFAider Support App® for three years
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Access to ongoing learning opportunities, resources and exclusive events
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The opportunity to be part of the largest MHFAider® community in England
Book here
This price for this course is £325.
Courses for 2024 currently being scheduled.
Subsidised rates available for VCSE and Statutory sectors.
Please contact alison.hambleton@thecfc.org.uk for all enquiries and bookings.
Refresher Courses
We also offer Mental Health First Aid Refresher courses as Mental Health First Aid training should be kept up to-date. We recommend MHFA Refresher training every three years. Enabling your MHFAiders® to refresh their skills, the same way your physical first aiders do, is a great way to demonstrate your organisation’s commitment to treating mental health and physical health equally.
Investing in the course will keep your MHFAiders® motivated, empowered and confident to carrying out their roles, and give you the peace of mind that they can perform their duties effectively.
Book here
This half day course is priced at £150 per person.
There are currently no refresher courses scheduled.
