Training

Mental health problems are extremely common. One in four people will experience a problem with their mental health in the course of a year. Despite the frequency of mental health problems, they remain misunderstood and are not often discussed publicly. When they are, and often in the Media they are presented inaccurately which leads to fear, stigma and discrimination. This in turn prevents individuals from seeking help. Many people are not well informed and often do not know how to respond. GPs, counsellors and mental health team members can all assist people with mental health problems. However, just as with accidents and medical emergencies, such assistance is not always available when a problem first arises. This is when members of the public can offer immediate aid and support the person to get appropriate help.

Amser i Siarad is seeking to skill up as many individuals as possible whilst working towards a community that makes it acceptable for individuals to talk openly about their mental distress, without a fear of rejection or discrimination, whilst promoting good mental health, wellbeing and recovery.

Mental Health First Aid Training

Amser i Siarad can provide Mental Health First Aid Training and Youth Mental Health First Aid Training. This 12-hour course teaches adults how to provide Mental Health First Aid (MHA) to friends, family and colleagues.

Mental Health First Aid is the help given to an individual who develops a mental health problem, has an existing mental health problem that is getting worse, or is in a mental health crisis. First aid is given until appropriate professional help is at hand or until the crisis is resolved.

What will I learn?

As a participant, you will gain better information about different types of mental illness and interventions for them, knowledge of appropriate first aid strategies, and confidence in helping individuals with a mental health problem. The following topics are discussed:

Developing mental health problems:

  • Depression
  • Anxiety problems
  • Psychosis
  • Substance misuse problems

Mental health emergencies:

  • Suicidal thoughts and behaviour
  • Non-suicidal self-harm
  • Panic attacks • Traumatic events
  • A severe state of psychosis
  • Severe effects from alcohol or other drug use

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training

ASIST is a two-day interactive workshop in suicide first-aid. ASIST teaches participants to recognize when someone may be at risk of suicide and work with them to create a plan that will support their immediate safety.

In the course of the two-day workshop, ASIST participants learn to:

  • Understand the ways personal and societal attitudes affect views on suicide and interventions
  • Provide guidance and suicide first-aid to a person at risk in ways that meet their individual safety needs
  • Identify the key elements of an effective suicide safety plan and the actions required to implement it
  • Appreciate the value of improving and integrating sui­cide prevention resources in the community at large
  • Recognize other important aspects of suicide preven­tion including life-promotion and self-care