Funding secured to increase mental health awareness training for volunteers
In support of Volunteers’ Week, we are pleased to announce we have been successful in securing funds to train more volunteers to become Mental Health First Aid Instructors.
There are currently 1,800 Mental Health First Aid instructors across the county. The training will teach the volunteers to spot the symptoms of mental health issues, offer initial help and guide a person towards support. It does not teach them to be therapists, but it does teach people to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis - and even potentially stop a crisis from happening.
Tariro Gumbo, Volunteer Service Manager for Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, said: “We are proud to join Mental Health First Aid England in reducing mental health stigma. Our Volunteers are a core part of our services and it’s a privilege to be able to provide more training to enhance their mental health awareness. This opportunity will equip our workforce with skills to self-help and support others through a mental health crisis. It is an exciting time for the Trust.”
The training will be delivered by Mental Health First Aid England and after qualifying, the volunteers will be delivering this training across Coventry and Warwickshire.