Managers Need Different Tools
Which Mental Health First Aid course is right for a manager?
For most managers, the best fit is MHFA England's Mental Health Skills for Managers: a four-hour, practical course built around the conversations managers actually have with their team.
Managers don't need to become counsellors. They need to notice when someone has changed, start the conversation well, and know where to point people next. That's exactly what this course covers.
Here's how to choose:
To support their team day to day, with confidence: Mental Health Skills for Managers. 4 hours, £160 plus VAT.
To become a qualified Mental Health First Aider for the wider organisation: Adult Mental Health First Aid. 2 days, or 4 online sessions, £325 plus VAT.
To get a shorter grounding first: Adult MHFA Aware. 4 hours, £150 plus VAT.
My honest advice? Start every manager on Skills for Managers. Then train one or two of them as full Mental Health First Aiders, so your team has both: confident managers and a trained point of contact.
Run it live online or in person at your workplace, with up to 16 people per group. Mental Health Skills for Managers is the official MHFA England course, as listed by MHFA England.
Peter Larkum, MHFA England instructor since 2009.
