Teachers learn mental heath first aid

• Gives trainees knowledge to help young people recover their health
• Provides understanding of young people's wellbeing and the factors that affect it

ACTION

"Raising awareness of mental health is important to us," says Noelle Doona, assistant head teacher of Hendon School in Barnet, one of the first in London to access mental health first aid training.

Community interest company Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England is rolling out the training for teachers and pupils across England. The scheme aims is to improve teachers' knowledge of mental health so that they can respond more effectively to pupils' needs.

Doona says that she found hearing from people who have lived with mental health experiences as a part of the one-day training useful in terms of helping staff to develop empathy when assisting pupils in need of support.

"Many people had not had the opportunity to hear first-hand accounts of those who have lived experiences and it's reassuring to hear from them that mental health first aid strategies do work," she explains.

In 2017, the government handed MHFA England £200,000 to train 1,000 teachers each year until 2020 across England as "youth mental health first aid champions" and the scheme has subsequently been rolled out across England.

The course to become a "mental health first aid champion" tends to take place at participating schools and last year, MHFA England delivered 1,864 courses across England, a third of which were in the capital.

The programme in London is run by mental health movement Thrive LDN in partnership with MHFA England and supported by the Mayor of London through the Young Londoner's fund. It aims for every state school in London - including sixth forms, further education colleges, pupil referral units and alternative provision centres - to have at least one youth mental health first aider by 2021.

Thrive LDN has trained more than 100 new youth mental health first aid instructors in London, who will deliver two-day courses to around 2,000 school staff in the capital.

A spokesperson for Thrive LDN says the course enables participants to become a trainer in two days: "Some schools also choose to train members of staff as MHFA England instructor member in a seven day training programme - they support the roll out of training to school staff. The learning outcomes are practical skills to spot the triggers and signs of mental health issues and to help young people to develop the tools to look after their own wellbeing."

The training teaches participants how to identify the signs and symptoms for a range of mental health conditions, listen non-judgmentally and hold supportive conversations, and where to refer young people for the next level of support, which could include referrals to services within the NHS such as talking therapy.

Workshop activities and group discussions cover depression, anxiety, self-harm and eating disorders. Doona says that the training also covers factors that affect pupils' mental health including bullying, domestic violence, sexual or emotional abuse at home, bereavement and grooming into criminal activities. "Poverty is also a factor," she explains.

Another area implementing MHFA England training is Greater Manchester. It has done this through its Mentally Healthy Schools pilot which has rolled out first aid training to more than 60 schools with plans to double this by December. The pilot is teaching pupils from years five to 10 about the importance of exercise and physical health in improving mental wellbeing. Meanwhile, year 10 pupils preparing for GCSE exams are receiving stress management workshops through the programme.

Lisa Fathers, director of teaching schools and partnerships at Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, has been an MHFA England trainer for four years, delivering the training to other teachers. The Manchester pilot is working with Youth Sport Trust athletes to increase pupils' resilience. Pupils look at what it takes for an elite athlete to perform and apply this to improve their own mental wellbeing. It covers mindfulness, learning to tune in feelings and to recognise causes of anxiety.

"One workshop activity they have done is around identifying their moods by moving around the room to signs that name the moods they most identify with. Students say that this helps them be in touch with their emotions," says Fathers.

IMPACT

Fathers says that in Manchester, pupils have made positive changes to their eating habits and have said they've experienced improved mental health and better moods generally as a result.

She cites an example where they were able to support a pupil who had come to the UK from another country where she had witnessed extreme violence and consequently was suffering from acute trauma.

"She was struggling to adjust to the new environment, not sleeping well, exhibiting signs of anxiety and generally feeling very low. The training meant that we were able to engage with her and give her some tools to help herself," she explains.

"Now this student has become a mental health ambassador as a part of the Greater Manchester initiative."