Celebrating success as Wales reaches 10,000 Mental Health First Aiders

Posted Tuesday 6 November 2012

Sgroliwch i lawr am y fersiwn Cymraeg

Mind Cymru is celebrating the success of the Mental Health First Aid (Wales) course as the number of people trained reaches 10,000 in early November 2012.

This means that 10,000 people able to provide initial help to anyone experiencing a mental health problem at home, at work or out and about in the community in everyday life, making a real difference to the people of Wales. 

People often feel unsure what to do when they think that someone might have a mental health problem and worry about saying something wrong.  Mental Health First Aid (Wales) trains people in how to spot the signs that someone may be experiencing a mental health problem and how to provide initial help and support. The course focuses on practical skills, developing people’s confidence to ask someone about their mental health and what to do next. Research carried out last year by the University of Glamorgan found that 96% of people felt confident or better prepared to help a person experiencing a mental health problem after the course.

The Mental Health First Aid (Wales) scheme is supported by the Welsh Government who are keen to see many more people trained across Wales.  The course supports a number of priority areas for the Welsh Government, including improving health at work.  Mental Health First Aid (Wales) contributes to Welsh Government initiatives such as Healthy Working Wales, which promotes health and wellbeing in the workplace, and the Corporate Health Standard, which is the quality mark for workplace health promotion in Wales.

Mental Health First Aid (Wales) Project Manager, Claire Foster, said:

We’re delighted that Wales now has 10,000 Mental Health First Aiders able to provide initial help and support to anyone they think might be experiencing a mental health problem.

Mental health problems, especially stress, anxiety and depression, are incredibly common.  We know that one in four people will experience a mental health problem in any one year. The good news is that people can and do recover from mental health problems but the earlier people get help the better.  Mental Health First Aid can be a vital part of this. It’s a course that anyone can do and it focuses on the practical skills and information that people need.

Our Mental Health First Aiders come from all sections of the community – from voluntary groups to those working with young people, from faith groups to the police and GP receptionists.  Businesses like Airbus and Tata Steel have also trained employees and are already seeing the benefits.

We’d like to thank every one of the 10,000 people who have trained so far and also to congratulate our Mental Health First Aid instructors who are doing such a great job. We hope they go on to train another 10,000 people in the coming years!

All enquiries to:

Rachel Bowen, Communications and Profile Officer, Mind Cymru
029 2034 6588
07799 728 996
email: r.bowen@mind.org.uk

Notes
For more information on Mental Health First Aid (Wales) and to find out about courses available in your area, visit www.mhfa-wales.org.uk

To read the University of Glamorgan’s evaluation of Mental Health First Aid (Wales), see http://www.mhfa-wales.org.uk/assets/files/Feedback/2011.11.10%20EVALUATION_A4_english.pdf

Further details about the Welsh Government’s Healthy Working Wales initiative and the Corporate Health Standard, visit: www.healthyworkingwales.com/splash_wales/en.html and http://wales.gov.uk/topics/health/improvement/work/corporate/?lang=en

Please note that Mind is not an acronym and should be set in title case.

Dathlu llwyddiant wrth i Gymru gyrraedd 10,000 o Swyddogion Cymorth Cyntaf Iechyd Meddwl

Mae Mind Cymru yn dathlu llwyddiant cwrs Cymorth Cyntaf Iechyd Meddwl (Cymru) wrth i nifer y bobl a hyfforddwyd gyrraedd 10,000 ar ddechrau mis Tachwedd 2012.

Mae hyn yn golygu bod 10,000 o bobl a all roi'r cymorth cychwynnol i unrhyw un sydd â phroblem iechyd meddwl gartref, yn y gwaith neu allan yn y gymuned bob dydd, gan wneud gwahaniaeth go iawn i bobl Cymru.

Mae pobl yn aml yn teimlo'n ansicr beth i'w wneud pan fyddant yn meddwl y gallai fod gan rywun broblem iechyd meddwl ac yn poeni y byddant yn dweud rhywbeth o'i le.   Mae Cymorth Cyntaf Iechyd Meddwl (Cymru) yn hyfforddi pobl sut i adnabod arwyddion problem iechyd meddwl a sut i roi cymorth a chefnogaeth gychwynnol.  Mae'r cwrs yn canolbwyntio ar sgiliau ymarferol, gan ddatblygu hyder pobl i ofyn i rywun am ei iechyd meddwl a beth i'w wneud nesaf. Canfu ymchwil a gynhaliwyd y llynedd gan Brifysgol Morgannwg fod 96% o bobl yn teimlo'n hyderus neu'n fwy parod i helpu rhywun â phroblem iechyd meddwl ar ôl cwblhau'r cwrs.

Cefnogir cynllun Cymorth Cyntaf Iechyd Meddwl (Cymru) gan Lywodraeth Cymru, sy'n awyddus i roi hyfforddiant i lawer mwy o bobl ledled Cymru.   Mae'r cwrs yn cefnogi nifer o feysydd â blaenoriaeth i Lywodraeth Cymru, gan gynnwys gwella iechyd yn y gwaith. Mae Cymorth Cyntaf mewn Iechyd Meddwl (Cymru) yn cyfrannu at fentrau Llywodraeth Cymru, megis Cymru Iach ar Waith, sy'n hyrwyddo iechyd a lles yn y gweithle, a'r Safon Iechyd Gorfforaethol, sef y nod ansawdd ar gyfer hybu iechyd yn y gweithle yng Nghymru.

Dywedodd Claire Foster, Rheolwr Prosiect Cymorth Cyntaf mewn Iechyd Meddwl (Cymru):

Rydym yn hynod falch bod gan Gymru 10,000 o Swyddogion Cymorth Cyntaf mewn Iechyd Meddwl sy'n gallu rhoi cymorth a chefnogaeth gychwynnol i unrhyw un â phroblem iechyd meddwl.

Mae problemau iechyd meddwl, yn enwedig straen, pryder ac iselder yn gyffredin iawn. Gwyddom y bydd un o bob pedwar unigolyn yn cael problem iechyd meddwl yn ystod unrhyw flwyddyn benodol. Y newyddion da yw bod pobl yn gallu gwella o broblemau iechyd meddwl ac maent yn gwneud hynny, ond gorau po gyntaf y bydd rhywun yn cael help. Gall Cymorth Cyntaf Iechyd Meddwl fod yn rhan hanfodol o hyn. Mae'n gwrs y gall unrhyw un ei gwblhau ac mae'n canolbwyntio ar y sgiliau ymarferol a'r wybodaeth sydd eu hangen ar bobl.

Daw ein Swyddogion Cymorth Cyntaf Iechyd Meddwl o bob rhan o'r gymuned - o grwpiau gwirfoddol i'r rheini sy'n gweithio gyda phobl ifanc, o grwpiau ffydd i'r heddlu a derbynyddion Meddygon Teulu. Mae busnesau fel Airbus a Tata Steel hefyd wedi hyfforddi cyflogeion ac maent eisoes yn gweld y manteision.

Hoffem ddiolch i bob un o'r 10,000 o bobl sydd wedi cael hyfforddiant hyd yma a hefyd longyfarch ein hyfforddwyr Cymorth Cyntaf Iechyd Meddwl sy'n gwneud gwaith mor wych. Rydym yn gobeithio y byddant yn mynd ymlaen i hyfforddi 10,000 o bobl eraill dros y blynyddoedd i ddod!

Dylid anfon ymholiadau at:
Rachel Bowen, Swyddog Cyfathrebu a Phroffil, Mind Cymru
029 2034 6588
07799 728 996
e-bost: r.bowen@mind.org.uk

Nodiadau
I gael rhagor o wybodaeth am Gymorth Cyntaf Iechyd Meddwl (Cymru) ac i ddysgu mwy am gyrsiau sydd ar gael yn eich ardal chi, ewch i www.mhfa-wales.org.uk

I ddarllen gwerthusiad Prifysgol Morgannwg o Gymorth Cyntaf mewn Iechyd Meddwl (Cymru), ewch i http://www.mhfa-wales.org.uk/assets/files/Feedback/2011.11.10%20EVALUATION_A4_english.pdf

I gael rhagor o wybodaeth am fenter Cymru Iach ar Waith a Safon Iechyd Gorfforaethol Llywodraeth Cymru, ewch i: www.healthyworkingwales.com/splash_wales/en.html a http://wales.gov.uk/topics/health/improvement/work/corporate/?lang=en

Noder nad acronym yw Mind a dylid ei nodi gyda phriflythyren.

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