June 11, 2021
A.F. Blakemore is inviting all colleagues to apply to become a mental health first aider.
As part of the company’s commitment to supporting the health and wellbeing of colleagues, AFB is running a Mental Health First Aid training programme.
More than 20 colleagues have already successfully completed the course, delivered by training provider Paycare, and the business is now recruiting a further 27 colleagues from across all areas of AFB to take part in its next two sessions.
Logistics Operations Manager Chloe Ball and Blakemore Retail Area Manager Ian Bailes are two staff members who have recently completed the training programme.
Chloe commented: “The Mental Health First Aid training has been the most influential training of my career so far.
“I always considered myself an advocate for mental health prior to this training, but it has opened my eyes to a lot of mental health illnesses and the part we have to play in recognising the signs, as well as the actions we can take to support people with mental health problems, not just in the workplace but in day-to-day life.”
Ian commented: “The training was one of the best training courses I have attended in 25 years with the business. I gained a great deal of knowledge during the course and felt empowered and equipped to carry out the role of a mental health first aider at the end.
“It opened my eyes to how I could develop my own people management skills on a daily basis and reach out to people who need support.
“It proved to me that no matter how experienced we believe we are, there are always techniques and processes that we can learn to improve ourselves further as people.”
The business will be publishing details of the colleagues who have already qualified as mental health first aiders in the coming weeks so that they can provide support to others.
AFB has also recently launched a Mental Health First Aider Focus Group with a group of mental health first aiders, to help shape the company’s mental health programme going forward.
A mental health first aider will:
Each colleague who completes the training course will receive a first aider certificate.
The training course will be delivered via four half-day sessions hosted online. In addition, you will be required to complete approximately two hours of online work each week.
The dates and times for the new two training cohorts are:
Cohort A – July/ August 2021
20th July | 9.30am-12.30pm | Session 1: Introduction to Mental Health |
27th July | 1.30pm-4.30pm | Session 2: Depression & Suicide |
29th July | 1.30pm-4.30pm | Session 3: Anxiety, Self-harm & Eating Disorders |
5th August | 9.30am-12.30pm | Session 4: Recovery & the MHFA Action Plan |
Cohort B – September/October 2021
16th September | 9.30am-12.30pm | Session 1: Introduction to Mental Health |
21st September | 9.30am-12.30pm | Session 2: Depression & Suicide |
28th September | 1.30pm-4.30pm | Session 3: Anxiety, Self-harm & Eating Disorders |
6th October | 1.30pm-4.30pm | Session 4: Recovery & the MHFA Action Plan |
We are looking for colleagues who have a genuine interest in becoming a mental health first aider. You will need to be empathetic, non-judgmental and a good listener who is willing to support your colleagues with any mental health concerns and signpost them to the support available.
Please email healthandwellbeing@afblakemore.co.uk with:
Please note that as there are limited places available, if we are unable to offer you a place on the next two training programmes, we will keep your application on file for any future mental health first aid training opportunities.
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