Why you should book a First Aid for Mental Health course

Did you know almost 1 in 2 Australians will experience a mental health condition at some point in their lifetime? While this number is extremely high, approximately 54% don’t seek treatment. That’s why it’s so important to learn how to identify the signs that someone might be struggling and start a conversation about mental health.

But you won’t know until you’ve trained for the situation, which is why St John WA have developed our First Aid for Mental Health course. We want to raise awareness for mental health in Western Australia and equip individuals with the tools they need to take the first crucial steps towards helping someone seek professional ongoing help.

Read on to find out why you should participate in a mental health training course as soon as possible and how St John WA can help.

Would you be able to help in a mental health crisis?

The reality is, we all know someone affected by a mental health issue – but would you know what to do when the time comes? As the number of people affected by mental health disorders in our country continues to increase, so has the importance of mental health first aid training.

Whether it’s a work colleague, family member or friend, poor mental health will affect 1 in 5 people this year alone and has a serious effect on our day-to-day lives. So it’s important to understand how to step in and support them when they need it the most.

Much like how everyone can benefit from traditional physical first aid training, everyone can benefit from mental health first aid training. Some of the main benefits you’ll receive from attending a mental health course include:

• Learn how to recognise the signs and symptoms in others and yourself
• Practice reaching out to others and starting a conversation
• Learn how to provide support for them or yourself
• Build knowledge and understanding
• Learn the importance of taking that first step in assisting someone to seek help
• Why choose St John WA for your mental health training
• St John WA is the State’s leading first aid training provider and has been caring for the WA community for over 125 years.
• When developing our First Aid for Mental Health course, we wanted to make sure it reflected the true needs of individuals and organisations in our community. After spending time with our corporate clients and finding out what they were looking for in the first aid space, we were able to identify several gaps.
• We started by assessing the current mental health procedures in place and conducted 12 in-depth interviews with organisations of various sizes across multiple industries. Almost all recognised the increasing need to begin mental health training, but current training was generally conducted on a reactive needs basis.
• What we discovered was they were after something practical and hands-on, so we wanted to focus on the signs and symptoms of mental health issues and how to have a supportive conversation with someone. From that, our First Aid for Mental Health course was born at the beginning of this year.
• What to expect from the course
• If you want to gain confidence in talking to people about mental health, then the First Aid for Mental Health course is ideal for you. We’ve taken out all the jargon and labels and have focused on what people see, including:
• Behaviours they might display
• How their body might be responding
• Things they might say
• How they might be feeling
• When you notice these signs and symptoms, you can then take the first steps towards helping them. It all starts with that initial conversation, which will help you identify whether contacting a professional is then required.
• Based on the feedback we received from experts in the mental health field, the First Aid for Mental Health course will teach you first aid strategies and techniques to help people experiencing a mental health crisis. Topics covered include:
• Understanding mental health
• Building mental health knowledge
• Putting first aid for mental health into practice
• Taking care of yourself
• It’s delivered by an experienced mental health first aid instructor who will give you strong skills needed to recognise the signs of mental health issues early, effective strategies to assist someone in need and the confidence to use them.
• Individual course details:
• Price: $175 per person
• Duration: 1 day (9am – 4pm)
• Max. number of participants per class: 12
• Training locations:
  • Belmont Training Centre
  • Fremantle Training Centre
  • Perth CBD Training Centre
• It’s never too late to learn how to save a life. The First Aid for Mental Health course helps individuals gain the skills needed to identify if someone is struggling. Book a course now.