Did you know?
Poor mental health costs UK employers up to £45 billion each year. But for every £1 spent by employers on mental health interventions, they get back £5 in reduced absence, presenteeism, and staff turnover (Deloitte, 2020).
The UK has been experiencing an alarming growth in mental health issues in the workplace for many years.  The  COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased peoples awareness of this crisis with one in four adults experiencing a mental illness each year.
It is extremely difficult for employees to talk about their mental health issues due to the stigma that still remains and as a result, many don’t speak up until they are really struggling to cope.Â
It is just as difficult for supervisors, managers and others to know what to say and do as well as where they can direct the employee in order to obtain the help that they need.
Employers need to have an honest look at themselves and askÂ
What measures do YOU have in place to recognise the warning signs and respond in a crisis?
What can we do to help?
In partnership with The Wellbeing Academy we are offering a package of measures to suit any size of company that includes:
- A Mental Health & Wellbeing business review – looking at your current strategies, processes and interventions
- Organisation Audit of current Wellbeing arrangements and a bespoke report for improvement suggestions
- Stress Risk Assessments – bespoke surveys of workplace stress (in line with HSE reccommendations)
- Wellbeing Strategy and action plan & ongoing support
- Health & Wellbeing Surveys
FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION
Take the first step to support the mental health of your staff by taking advantage of a free consultation with our highly experienced consultant
Mental Health Training Support
In addition to the above services and in partnership with our quality assured instructor who is an approved instructor of the MHFA England course  we are now offering mental health courses to help raise the awareness of this important topic and to assist you manage effectively.Â
Both events are accredited by ‘The Royal Society for Public Health’ and will be run online via TEAMS / Zoom.
Visit our public course calendar for upcoming dates
For further information or to book a free initial consultation please contact our training team at [email protected]
FAQ's
Our Online Mental Health Fist Aid course is a practical skills and awareness course designed to equip learners with the skills and confidence to spot the triggers and signs of mental health issues, and provide support and signposting to self-help, or professional services. The new online version of our course delivers the same evidence-based learning outcomes of the popular ‘face-to-face’ Adult MHFA Two Day course in an accessible and flexible online format. The course is structured around a blend of individual learning and live sessions. These are all conducted online via our new Online Learning Hub – an integrated learning platform. Learners who complete the course will be certified by us as Mental Health First Aiders. They will receive an e-certificate on completion of the course.Â
The MHFA England Online Learning Hub is an integrated learning platform that provides a one-stop “hub” for learners. From one login, learners can access, interact with, and complete their learning modules for both their individual learning and instructor-led live sessions.Â
It typically takes 15hrs for a learner to complete the course. This is structured for the learner in the following way:Â
- Individual learning – 1hrÂ
- Live session one – 1hr 45minÂ
- Individual learning – 2hrsÂ
- Live session two – 2hrs 20minÂ
- Individual learning – 2hrsÂ
- Live session three – 2hrsÂ
- Individual learning – 2hrsÂ
- Live session four – 1hr 55minÂ
Every live session includes a 10min break.Â
Individual learning will be a mix of reading, videos, and workbook activities.Â
Instructor Members will list available courses on the MHFA England website. You can find a list of available courses by clicking here.Â
Once the Instructor Member confirms you as a delegate on their course you will receive an invitation with a link to the Online Learning Hub as well as login details. Should you have any issues please contact the instructor who will be able assist.Â
The course consists of four live sessions led by an MHFA England Instructor Member, and four individual learning sessions. These are to be completed outside of, and prior to, the live sessions.Â
You will be able to access the course materials via the Online Learning Hub from once the course is fully set up and you are registered, until a month after the course has completed.Â
You will also have access to the printed Adult MHFA Manual, Workbook and ALGEE card to refer to at any time, including before, during, and after the course.Â
As a learner, as with any of our courses, you can capture any accessibility needs when you register for a course and this will be shared with your Instructor Member. YourÂ
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instructor will then contact you ahead of the course to chat through and agree any adjustments that will support your learning experience.Â
If you need to chat through any accessibility needs, or need any support at any time, please contact the MHFA England Customer Service team.Â
There is the flexibility to take the course over a length of time that suits you, your fellow learners, and your instructor. For the best learner experience, we recommend that Instructor Members deliver the course over a two-week period, in at least four days. This allows the learners to complete their individual learning ahead of each session.Â
Once you are booked onto a course, you will receive an email from your Instructor Member. This email will contain the live session dates and times, as well as a link inviting you to the course on the MHFA England Online Learning Hub.Â
Once you have been invited to the MHFA England Online Learning Hub, you will receive an email inviting you to join the online course area within the learning platform.Â
By registering for the course, you will automatically be sent a manual and workbook in the post. You will need these for the live sessions and to complete your individual learning.Â
You can access your individual learning within the hub by clicking on ‘Courses Assigned to Me’. This contains instructions of every individual learning activity that needs to be completed before each live session.Â
Your Instructor Member will contact you directly to arrange live session dates and times, and to send out any reminders to complete the individual learning before the live sessions.Â
You will need to log onto the MHFA England Online Learning Hub system for your live sessions on the dates and times set by the instructor. You can also use your login to complete the individual learning in between each live session as directed.Â
At the end of live session four, you will receive an automated email with a link to complete a course evaluation survey. Once submitted, you will then be able to download your e-certificate for completing the course.Â
There are four individual learning modules to complete, including one that needs to be completed before the first live session. Although this can be completed in a minimum of one hour, we aim to get the printed materials to you a week before the first live session so that you have plenty of time to complete the individual learning. Our printed manual and workbook will provide you with invaluable learning and reference materials that are yours to keep.Â
You will struggle to optimise the live session if you haven’t completed your individual learning prior to attendance at the live session. You will also need to complete all individual learning activities to be marked as complete and issued with a certificate.Â
You and your Instructor Member can check your individual learning progress via the Online Learning Hub, and your instructor will be monitoring to ensure that you have engaged with the materials. They may also contact you to check whether you need any additional support.Â
You will need to attend all four live sessions and complete all the individual learning BEFORE you can be marked as completed by your Instructor, to receive your MHFA England certificate. The course will remain live on the platform for one month after the last live date and you will need to negotiate with your Instructor Member to attend any live sessions you missed.Â
The ‘hard-copy’ materials such as workbook and course manual will be posted directly to the address you provide when signing up for the course. Please ensure you have these to hand for your individual learning prior to and when attending the live sessions.Â
You should receive confirmation from the Instructor Member at least ten days before the first live session of your course takes place. This will allow for enough time for you to complete the individual learning and receive your course materials in the post.Â
Your Instructor Member will send you detailed instructions about how to join before your first live session. These will be sent through the Online Learning Hub.Â
If you are not able or comfortable to participate in the course with your camera on, then this online version of our Mental Health First Aid course is not the right one for you.Â
There is nothing more important than your wellbeing, and, just like the face-to-face Adult MHFA Two Day course, this course has been designed to ensure a safe environment for learners. One of the key safeguards is to ensure that InstructorÂ
Members can see all learners and check for signs of anxiety or distress, which requires all learners to have their cameras turned on for live sessions.Â
The MHFA England Online Learning Hub works best when learners use Google Chrome as their internet browser. However, the hub can be used on Firefox and Edge, provided they are the most up to date versions of these browsers. The Online Learning Hub is compatible with Apple Mac, although not yet with Safari (coming soon). To ensure the best learning experience, we do not currently recommend connecting via tablet/iPad.Â
To ensure you have the best experience, we recommend checking your system requirements ahead of time.Â
System RequirementsÂ
In order to ensure a high-quality experience, your computer/phone/tablet and internet connection speed should meet the following recommended system requirements.Â
OverviewÂ
- Internet connection – broadband wired or wireless (3G or 4G/LTE)Â
- Speakers and microphone* – built-in, USB plug-in, or wireless BluetoothÂ
- Webcam* – built-in, USB plug-inÂ
*Webcam and microphone are only required for those speaking and broadcasting video.Â
WindowsÂ
To use the web platform, you’ll need:Â
- Windows 10, Windows 8 or 8.1, Windows 7Â
- Chrome, Firefox, Edge, IE11 (with client)Â
- Computer or laptop with Intel Pentium 4 processor or later that is SSE2 capable and 512 MB of RAM, or a Surface PRO 2 or Surface PRO 3Â
MacÂ
To use on Mac, you’ll need:Â
- Mac OS X, macOS 10.9 or laterÂ
- Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari (coming soon)Â
- Intel processor 64-bit and 512 MB of RAMÂ
LinuxÂ
To use on Linux, you’ll need:Â
- Ubuntu 12.04, Mint 17.1, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.4, Oracle Linux 6.4, CentOS 6.4, Fedora 21, OpenSUSE 13.2, ArchLinux (64-bit only)Â
- Chrome, Firefox−Intel Pentium 4 processor
Chrome OS
Works directly through the Chrome browser on laptops andtablets utilizing Chrome
OS (Chromebooks)
- Chrome−2GB Ram
iOS (iPhones and iPads)
To use on iPhone, you’ll need:
- iPhone 5S or later−Safari−iOS 11 or later
To use on iPad, you’ll need
- iPad Mini 3, iPad Air, iPad Pro, iPad (2017) orlater−Safari−iOS 11 or later
Android (phones and tablets)
To use on Android phones or tablets, you’ll need
- Android 4.0 or later−Chrome
Bandwidth Recommendations
The bandwidth is optimised to deliver the best experience based on your network:
- Participate with webcam and microphone: 2Mbps upload, 2Mbps download
- Participate with microphone: 1.5Mbps upload, 2 Mbps download
- Participate without webcam or microphone: 1 Mbps upload, 2 Mbps download
Firewall
To participate in a live session, please ensure that the location you are connecting from allows for the streaming and downloading of real time video.
- UDP−TCP: 80, 443−HTTP: 80, 443
Cookies
Cookies must be enabled in order to use the Online Learning Hub.Extensions or browser configurations that block or disable cookies may prevent participants from joining a live session.
You will be invited to join the live sessions approximately 15min before the Instructor Member starts the course. During this time, the instructor will make introductions and take you through what you need to do to get settled, including ensuring the technology is working correctly.Â
At the end of live session four, your Instructor Member will mark you as having completed the course, and you will receive an automated email with a link to complete a course evaluation survey. Once submitted, you will then be able to download your e-certificate for completing the course.
As the content of the online and face-to-face versions of the Mental Health First Aid course are very similar, you would not need to repeat the course. We do however recommend you attend one of our half day Refresher courses every year, as well as repeating the full Mental Health First Aid course (either online or face-to-face) every three years.
The Online Mental Health First Aid course has been developed to ensure that our proven Mental Health First Aid training can continue to be delivered where social distancing measures may prevent face-to-face delivery. We have taken the time to tailor the learner experience to suit the online environment and are confident that the Online Mental Health First Aid course delivers the same learning outcomes as the face-to-face Adult MHFA Two Day course.
It is not a replacement for our face-to-face classroom based Adult MHFA Two Day course. However, it will be a permanent alternative option for delivery. This course can be delivered where classroom learning may not be possible, or when clients or learners would prefer the alternative accessibility and flexibility of an online course delivering the same learning outcomes.
In the first instance you should go directly to the Instructor Member for your course for any queries.
For example, you should contact them first for support with logging into the Online Learning Hub or accessing course materials.
If for any reason your course instructor is unable to assist you, please contact [email protected] or call us on 0203 928 0760 and press option 2 to speak to our Customer Service Team.