Mental Health Awareness Week- The role of a 'Mental Health First Aider'

Simon Weston has been with H9 for almost 2 year's in his role as Senior Consultant for Plant Operations & Maintenance across the UK Power Generation sector.

Last year Simon put himself forward to take part in 'Mental Health First Aid' training provided by St John's Ambulance, alongside two other colleagues.

The idea behind this was to improve the wellbeing and mental health support we provide our employees at H9, by upskilling existing staff to be able to offer effective first line advice to those in need.

As part of 'Mental Health Awareness Week' we asked Simon a few questions about his role, in the hope it may inspire other business to take a similar approach to mental health support.

First of all, what is a mental health first aider?

Mental health first aiders are employees who have received training in identifying mental health issues, how to listen and communicate effectively with people experiencing any issues, and?understanding the most effective ways of encouraging them to seek appropriate help.

Why did you want to put yourself forward to become a mental health first aider?

I wanted to put myself forward because I think Mental Health is very important, not just in the workplace, but in everyday life also. I have found it has helped personally with friends and family in terms of spotting the signs early when somebody is not quite themselves, and letting them know I am here if needed

What was the most important thing you learned on the MHFA course?

I feel the most important thing as I mentioned above is the early signs and what to look out for, but also the range of help and support on offer. It is very easy to feel isolated or hopeless when suffering with mental health issues, but this definitely is not the case!

Have employees at your company embraced the idea?

Yes, I have been really pleasantly surprised by how well it has been received within our company, and I would like to think I have helped some of our team through some difficult periods, which selfishly is very satisfying to be able to say.

What advice would you give to somebody else thinking of training to become a mental health first aider?

For anyone who is thinking about doing the MHFA course I would highly recommend, it has really opened my eyes on a number of issues and allowed me to contribute positively to my workplace.

Any other comments?

Just generally, always know there is somebody available to talk to, and support is definitely out there when needed!

For more information on Mental Health First Aid training please visit?https://www.sja.org.uk/courses/workplace-mental-health-first-aid/