Eleven New Mental Health First Aiders Join the Trust Team to Support Staff Wellbeing

By Sam Kail-Dyke – Wessex Learning Trust

Last week (Thursday 16th June 2022) eleven staff from across the Wessex Learning Trust came together at Wedmore First School to take part in training to become Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA).

The training, led by Jon Wood from Headmatters, brings the total number of Mental Health First Aiders across the Trust to a network of twenty-eight, and ensures that every member of staff across our schools has access to key mental health support and ‘first-aid’ when they need it – in the same way they do with physical injuries. This network will also meet across the year to ensure that they themselves are supported, and can support each other, as well as providing support in their own settings.

This session comes as part of the Wessex Learning Trust’s ongoing commitment to supporting staff wellbeing, and joins a number of other services offered by the Trust including: a 24/7 confidential staff counselling and support line; and a dedicated wellbeing resource page on the Staff Intranet.

The MHFA training programme seeks to provide staff with the knowledge and confidence to provide Mental Health First Aid for the most common mental health issues, as well as an understanding of how to help build a mentally healthy workplace, challenge stigma and support positive wellbeing.

Chief Executive of the Trust, Gavin Ball, commented on the training:

“I am incredibly proud to see so many of our staff coming forward to take part in Mental Health First Aider training. Education is such a rewarding industry to work in, but as with any job there are times when everyone needs some support. I hope that our newest Mental Health First Aiders are therefore now equipped to offer that key support in our schools, so as to ensure that all our staff can be supported and know that there is always someone looking out for them.”

Gavin Ball, Chief Executive

Many thanks must go out to Jon from Headmatters, as well as all our amazing staff who have taken part in this incredibly valuable training. We hope that this project goes a long way to supporting staff wellbeing and providing valuable support to staff when they need it most.