Mental Health First Aid training

Who should attend? 

The 12-hour courses are accessible to a wide range of groups and individuals across Wales. The programme is targeted at raising mental health awareness literacy in the general public. Some key groups of people include those who work in the ambulance service, Welsh police forces and prison service, JobcentrePlus staff, primary health care and social care, staff in further and higher education, support workers in a variety of settings, voluntary and community groups, and other workplaces.

Course programme  

The 12-hour course covers a number of topics including:

• what is meant by mental health/mental ill health
• the signs and symptoms of common mental health problems including depression, anxiety disorders, and psychosis
• the range of effective interventions and treatments
• how to access help and support.

MHFA action plan

The action plan for Mental Health First Aid (Wales) has five basic steps:
1. Ask about suicide
2. Listen non-judgementally
3. Give reassurance and information
4. Encourage the person to get appropriate help and support
5. Encourage self-help strategies

The course delivery is very flexible and may be delivered over two full days or spread out over a maximum of four sessions over four days. Participants will receive a certificate of attendance and a copy of the Mental Health First Aid (Wales) Manual, which covers the course content.

Course aims

Mental Health First Aid (Wales) aims to help participants:

• preserve life where a person may be a danger to themselves or others
• provide help to prevent a mental health problem developing into a more serious state
• promote recovery of good mental health
• provide comfort to a person experiencing mental distress.

The course can only be delivered by a specially selected, trained and approved person. This ensures that all Mental Health First Aid (Wales) Instructors have the required level of knowledge, skills and experience, that there is consistency in delivery across Wales and that the quality of the delivery of the course can be monitored.

For more information see the Mental Health First Aid (Wales) website where details of instructors and courses can be found.