Mental Health First Aid Training for Your Teams.
Managers are often the first to notice when an employee is struggling, whether that employee says something directly or shows it in quieter ways.
Around one in four people experience a mental health problem in any given year, according to the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey for England, so most managers will face this situation at some point, often without much preparation for it.
My Group provides mental health and psychological training for HR teams, managers and teams.
Starting with Mental Health First Aider training, a practical course that gives people the skills and confidence to support a colleague in distress. Specialist training in psychological first aid, trauma-informed leadership and advanced trauma skills is also available for organisations with more specific needs.
Why does mental health training matter?
Since 2018, the Health and Safety Executive has recommended that employers consider mental health first aid training alongside physical first aid, treating mental health risk with the same seriousness as physical risk.
Its 2024 update of the First Aid at Work guidance went further, emphasising employers’ responsibility to take account of employees’ mental health in their first aid needs assessment. For many organisations, that guidance has prompted a real shift in approach, moving beyond posters and helplines toward having trained people who know how to help when it matters.
Trained mental health first aiders and managers don’t replace clinical support such as an EAP or counselling. What they provide is the ability to spot the early signs that someone is struggling and start a supportive conversation. That early intervention often makes a real difference to how things unfold.
Managers need more than good intentions
Most managers want to support their team well. Far fewer have had any training in how to do that when it comes to mental health specifically. Without it, a well-meaning manager can feel unsure of what to say or can worry about getting it wrong. Proper training helps them to feel more confident when faced with a difficult situation.
Teams need to be equipped to support colleagues
In many companies, team members working closely together are best placed to offer gentle support to colleagues. It makes sense to provide Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training to those who would like to better understand how to identify and address signs of strain and be confident in their approach or offer of help.
What mental health training does My Group offer?
My Group provides a range of mental health and psychological training, from clinically informed workplace mental health first aid training through to more specialist courses for organisations with specific needs.
Mental Health First Aider Training
A structured workplace mental health first aid training course that gives participants the skills and confidence to recognise the signs of poor mental health, start a supportive conversation, understand the boundaries of their role, and help guide a colleague toward appropriate support. Participants receive clear learning outcomes and can be provided with a completion certificate, with the final format agreed as part of the delivery plan.
This is a practical way to strengthen an organisation’s existing approach to workplace mental health support. Many employers choose to train a network of mental health first aiders or designated support contacts across different teams and sites, so colleagues know where to go for an initial supportive conversation and signposting.
Psychological First Aid
A more specialist form of training that equips people with the skills to provide immediate, practical support to someone experiencing acute distress, often following a difficult or traumatic event. My Group works with each organisation to shape the training around its context, workforce and support needs.
Trauma-Informed Leadership
Training for leaders and managers on trauma-informed practice, helping them understand how past or ongoing trauma can affect an employee’s behaviour, communication and performance at work, and how to lead in a way that accounts for that. This is particularly relevant for organisations operating in sectors with higher exposure to difficult or distressing situations.
Advanced Trauma Skills for High-Risk Roles
A more advanced level of trauma training designed for organisations whose people are regularly exposed to distressing or high-risk situations as part of their role. This is a specialist, consultative service, and My Group’s team will work with you to understand your specific context before scoping what training would be most appropriate.
Talk to us about mental health training
We can talk you through the training options available, starting with Mental Health First Aider training and moving into more specialist courses if your organisation needs them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mental Health First Aider training teaches participants how to recognise the signs of poor mental health, start a supportive conversation with someone who is struggling, understand the limits of their role, and help guide them toward appropriate support. It is often compared to physical first aid training, applied to mental health. My Group’s course is a workplace mental health awareness and support course, with a focus on confidence, boundaries and appropriate signposting.
It’s not a strict legal requirement in the way physical first aid is, but since 2018 the Health and Safety Executive has recommended that employers consider mental health first aid training as part of managing workplace risk, alongside physical first aid provision. Many organisations now treat it as standard practice.
The format and length of My Group’s Mental Health First Aider training are agreed as part of the delivery plan, so the course can fit around shift patterns, sites and team availability. Participants can receive a completion certificate on finishing the course. Talk to us and we can outline the delivery options for your organisation.
Mental Health First Aider training is a broad, foundational workplace awareness and support course suitable for many organisations. Psychological First Aid is a more specialist form of training focused on providing immediate, practical support to someone in acute distress, often following a difficult or traumatic event. My Group’s team can advise on which is most appropriate for your organisation.
Trauma-informed leadership training is particularly relevant for organisations with higher exposure to difficult or distressing situations, but the principles can be valuable for any leader who wants to better understand how past experiences affect behaviour and performance at work. Advanced trauma skills training is more specifically designed for high-risk roles and sectors.
There’s no fixed rule, but many organisations aim to have trained first aiders across different teams and sites, so support is available regardless of where or when someone needs it. My Group’s team can help you think through what level of coverage makes sense for your organisation.
Yes. Mental health training works well alongside other My Health & Wellbeing services such as the Employee Assistance Programme, counselling and occupational health support. Trained managers and first aiders are often the first point of contact, helping guide colleagues toward the right service when more structured support is needed. Yes. Mental health training works well alongside other My Health & Wellbeing services such as the Employee Assistance Programme, counselling and occupational health support. Trained managers and first aiders are often the first point of contact, helping guide colleagues toward the right service when more structured support is needed.