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Scotland's Mental Health First Aid

Scotland’s Mental Health First Aid (SMHFA)

A practical 12-hour programme for organisations and groups that want people to recognise mental health distress, respond with greater confidence and offer appropriate initial support until further or professional help is available.

Enquire about this course
Duration 12 hours
Group size 8–16 people
Delivery Two full days or shorter sessions
Certificate Certificate of attendance
Programme information

About Scotland's Mental Health First Aid

Scotland's Mental Health First Aid (SMHFA) is an established 12-hour programme that must be delivered by a qualified SMHFA instructor. Programme quality is continuously monitored by Public Health Scotland.

Green Ribbons delivers the recognised SMHFA programme through Jean Pryde, who is qualified to facilitate the course. The content and core learning belong to the national programme; the Green Ribbons difference is in how that material is facilitated, discussed and made relevant to the people in the room.

Overview

About this course

Mental Health First Aid is an initial response to someone experiencing mental health distress, in much the same way that physical first aid offers immediate help before further care is available. It is not about diagnosing someone, providing therapy or taking responsibility for resolving another person's difficulties.

The course gives participants a practical framework for recognising when someone may need help, approaching a conversation, listening without judgement and offering appropriate initial support. It also looks at what to do in a mental health crisis, including when someone may be at risk of suicide, and how to help someone towards suitable professional or other support.

Across 12 hours, participants explore common mental health problems, recovery, stigma and discrimination, alcohol and drugs, suicide intervention and listening skills. The aim is to build knowledge and confidence while keeping the boundaries of the Mental Health First Aider role clear.

Is this course right for your group?

Designed for

Workplaces, professional teams, public and third-sector organisations, education settings and community groups that want people to have a clearer, practical framework for responding when someone may be experiencing mental health distress.

Particularly useful if

  • You want selected people to feel more confident recognising when someone may need support and knowing how to approach them.
  • Staff or volunteers may encounter mental health distress or crisis situations but are unsure what appropriate initial support looks like.
  • You want people to understand both how to help and where the boundaries of the Mental Health First Aider role sit.
  • Your organisation is looking for a substantial mental health training programme rather than a short awareness session focused on one topic.
Role and boundaries

What a Mental Health First Aider is — and isn't

A Mental Health First Aider can

  • Recognise when someone may need support and approach them appropriately.
  • Listen calmly and without judgement.
  • Ask appropriate questions and offer immediate, practical support.
  • Respond when someone may be experiencing a mental health crisis or at risk of suicide.
  • Provide simple information and help someone identify appropriate further or professional support.

A Mental Health First Aider isn't

  • A therapist, counsellor or mental health professional simply because they have completed the course.
  • Expected to diagnose a mental health problem.
  • Responsible for resolving another person's difficulties.
  • A replacement for professional mental health services or other appropriate specialist support.
  • Expected to provide ongoing support beyond the limits of their role.
For your organisation

What this can help your organisation achieve

Build practical capability

Give selected people a clear framework for recognising mental health distress, beginning a supportive conversation and offering appropriate initial help.

Increase confidence around difficult conversations

Help participants feel better prepared to listen, ask appropriate questions and respond when someone may be struggling or experiencing a crisis.

Create clearer routes towards support

Develop people who understand the limits of their role and can help someone towards suitable professional, community or other support rather than trying to carry responsibility themselves.

Outcomes

What you’ll learn

Apply the five steps of SMHFA (ALGEE)

Understand and practise the five-step approach used to provide initial Mental Health First Aid support.

Recognise when someone may need help

Build awareness of common mental health problems and some of the signs that may indicate a person is experiencing distress.

Listen and respond without judgement

Develop skills in asking appropriate questions, listening carefully and responding in a calm, supportive way.

Respond to crisis and suicide risk

Understand what to say and do when someone may be experiencing a mental health crisis, including when there are concerns about suicide.

Offer initial help and guide someone towards further support

Learn how to provide immediate help while recognising when professional or other appropriate support is needed.

Understand recovery and wider influences on mental health

Explore recovery, self-help, and the connections between mental health, alcohol and drugs, stigma and discrimination.

Course content

What we’ll cover

The Mental Health First Aider role

Guidance on what Mental Health First Aid is, how the role works in practice and why appropriate boundaries matter.

Attitudes, stigma and equalities

How attitudes, discrimination and stigma can influence people's experiences of mental health problems and their willingness to seek support.

Recovery and self-help

Understanding recovery from mental health problems and the role of hope, self-help and appropriate support.

Alcohol, drugs and mental health

The relationship between alcohol, drugs and mental health problems, and what this can mean when offering initial support.

Suicide intervention

An introduction to recognising risk, approaching conversations about suicide and responding appropriately when someone may be in crisis.

Listening skills

The importance of listening without judgement, asking appropriate questions and helping someone feel heard.

Depression

Basic information about depression and how to offer Mental Health First Aid to someone experiencing it.

Anxiety

Basic information about anxiety and how to offer appropriate initial support.

Psychosis

Basic information about psychosis and how to offer first aid to someone experiencing a psychotic episode.

Course format

What to expect

Flexible course format

The 12 hours can be delivered as two full days, four half days or six two-hour sessions, allowing the programme to be arranged around different groups and workplaces.

Interactive learning

The course includes a mixture of activities, films and discussion, with opportunities to practise listening and responding rather than relying on presentation alone.

Course manual

Participants receive the SMHFA manual to take away and use as a reference after the course.

Certificate of attendance

Participants receive a certificate of attendance on completion of the course.

Green Ribbons

Why choose Green Ribbons for SMHFA?

Scotland’s Mental Health First Aid has a defined programme, but the experience in the room also depends on the facilitator. Jean Pryde is an accredited SMHFA facilitator and brings almost 30 years’ experience working in mental health settings to the way the course is delivered.

Green Ribbons takes a practical, plain-speaking approach to difficult subjects and has delivered training for organisations including Diageo, Macallan and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, alongside professional bodies and community groups.

Booking

What happens next

1

Tell us what you're looking for

Tell us a little about your organisation or group, who the training is for and what you would like SMHFA to help with.

2

We'll talk it through

We'll discuss whether SMHFA is the right fit, the delivery format that could work for your group and any practical questions you have.

3

Arrange the training

If you'd like to go ahead, we'll agree the dates, location and arrangements with you.

Enquire

Interested in this training?

Tell us a little about your group and what you’re looking for. We can talk through whether this course is the right fit and the practical arrangements.

You’re enquiring about Scotland's Mental Health First Aid (SMHFA)

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