Carers invited to free Mental Health First Aid training workshop

Council is offering unpaid carers of people with a disability or mental illness the chance to take part in a ground-breaking free education program designed to give them greater support and knowledge about mental health.

Council, in partnership with EACH, is calling for expressions of interest from family carers to take part in a free two-day

Cr Kylie Spears, Chair of the Maroondah Disability Advisory Committee, said carers aged 18 years or older, regardless of prior experience or training, can learn Mental Health First Aid, which is a nationally accredited course.

“Council is proud of the work and dedication shown by unpaid carers in our community and is recognising the important role they play by offering 25 carers the chance to attend free Mental Health First Aid training to assist them in their caring role,” she said.

Cr Spears said course participants would learn about the signs and symptoms of common and disabling mental health issues, how to provide initial help, where and how to get assistance, understanding what types of help are effective, and how to provide first aid in a crisis-situation.

“The aim is to build up a carer’s knowledge of mental health first aid to help them identify mental health conditions and further support the people they care for.

“Traditional first aid doesn’t cover mental health issues, such as someone having a panic attack or suicidal thoughts, yet we’re more likely to encounter someone with a mental health concern than someone needing CPR,” she said.

This is the fifth time the course has been offered in Maroondah. Over one hundred community participants have so far undergone training and are now equipped with the skills needed to support our local community.

Carers can be parents, children, partners, other relatives and friends who assist with a variety of personal care, health care, transport, household and other activities.

“Family, partners and friends may be faced with a loved one’s mental health condition without much information on ways to deal with it and its impact on their life. However, with the help of Mental Health First Aid training they can be better informed about the illness, and have the confidence to provide that initial support until professional help is received or the crisis resolves.

“We are extremely proud to be offering free Mental Health First Aid training to a further 25 members of the Maroondah community and I urge family carers who may be interested to fill out an Expression of Interest form,” Cr Spears said.

The two-day workshop can provide carers with:

Skills in how to recognise the signs and symptoms of mental health problems. Knowledge of the possible causes or risk factors for these mental health problems. Awareness of the evidenced-based medical, psychological and alternative treatments available. Skills in how to give appropriate initial support to someone experiencing a mental health problem. Skills in how to take appropriate action if a crisis-situation arises, such as suicidal behaviour, panic attack, stress reaction to trauma, overdose, or threatening psychotic behaviour.

Upon completion of the two-day workshop, course participants will receive a Mental Health First Aid three-year accredited certificate, along with a copy of the Standard MHFA Manual to keep as a reference. The training is fully funded and participants are required to commit to the full two-day program.

Carers must be aged 18 or older and must either live in Maroondah or the person they care for is a resident of Maroondah.

If you are interested in taking part in the training workshop, please fill out an online Expression of Interest form by Friday 22 February 2019.

Apply online

Workshop details

Date: Wednesday 20 March and Wednesday 27 March 2019 Time: 9.30am to 3.30pm Venue: Council Offices, Braeside Avenue, Ringwood.

Further information 

For more information, please call Fiona Burridge, Community Development Officer, on 1300 88 22 33 or 9298 4598.