Mental Health First Aid 2 Day Course (MHFA England)

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA England) Course Content

The course is delivered over four live sessions (total of 16 hours), led by a qualified MHFA England Instructor. Each session is a maximum of 4 hours, and sessions can be delivered within a two-week period. Learning is interactive, with group discussions, individual activities, and real-world scenarios. Sessions build progressively to reinforce skills and confidence.

Session 1:

• Introduction to Mental Health First Aid and the action plan
• The role of the MHFAider and importance of self-care
• Helpful vs unhelpful language
• Models and frameworks to support the role

Session 2:

• Factors influencing mental health
• What is anxiety?
• Crisis first aid
• Active listening and empathy
• Eating disorders, self-harm and substance abuse

Session 3: 

• Applying the MHFA action plan
• What is Depression?
• What is suicide?
• What is psychosis?
• Crisis first aid continued

Session 4: 

• Recovery and lived experience
• Setting boundaries in the MHFAider role
• Planning your approach as a MHFAider
• Creating a personal action plan

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Recognise signs of poor mental health and provide first-level support
• Signpost individuals to professional help and resources
• Use active listening and show empathy effectively
• Challenge stigma and use appropriate mental health language
• Understand and maintain role boundaries
• Practice self-care as a MHFAider
• Use the MHFAider Support App® and access ongoing support

Upon successful completion, participants receive a Mental Health First Aider certificate from MHFA England, valid for three years. Everybody that completes the course gets:

• A copy of the workbook to support their learning through the course (£30+ VAT)
• A digital manual to refer to whenver they need it
• A wallet-sized reference card

Following the course, learners can further validate their skills by completing the RSPH Level 3 Award in Mental Health First Aid, an internationally recognised qualification (RSPH Level 3 Award in Mental Health First Aid) that builds confidence and credibility in the MHFAider role.

Participants will be invited to join the Association of Mental Health First Aiders® – the UK’s only membership community dedicated to MHFAiders. This brings MHFAiders together in one diverse and inclusive community. Together they can ignite a new era of action and transform how we talk about and support mental health. This includes:

• Access to the MHFAider Support App® with 24/7 text support and signposting to a national database of health services, and insights that teach critical self-care skills.
• Ongoing learning via the MHFA England Online Learning Hub, which includes rescourses such as course manuals and MHFAider guides
• Real stories and lived experience insights - learn from real people sharing their honest experiences of mental health conditions.
• Quarterly webinars and monthly newsletters with latest updates and resources.

Entry Requirements:

• Open to individuals aged 16+
• Group size: Minimum 8, Maximum 16 participants.