Youth MHFA in Schools launches 

This month, MHFA England is proud to deliver the first courses of the Youth MHFA in Schools programme, a Department of Health-funded initiative that we are leading to upskill school staff in MHFA. By the end of year one of the programme, at least one person in a third of all state secondary schools in England, around 1,000 school staff, will receive the training and become Youth MHFA Champions. A similar number of courses will be delivered in years two and three so that by 2020 around 3,000 school staff will have MHFA skills. To date we have received widespread media coverage, including TV and radio coverage on the BBC.

Here at On Track to Health & Wellbeing we are proud to be part of this national campaign.

It’s estimated that three children in every class have a diagnosable mental health issue. With exam stress at fever pitch at this time of year it’s hoped that this skills-based training will, for example, enable teachers to better spot the signs and symptoms of mental ill health this this kind of stress can evoke, and guide young people to the appropriate support. In the long-term we hope this programme will help to build a future where schools are mentally healthier places, where discussing mental health issues is normalised and where young people are better supported when it comes to their mental wellbeing.

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