Engaging with your employer
Being a Mental Health First Aider makes you an important part of an organisation’s health and wellbeing strategy. But promoting positive mental health is not just down to you. To perform your role effectively and safely at work, MHFA England training should be one part of a whole organisation approach. You need the full support of your employer, which should include an effective strategy, policies and procedures, and clear communication of your role and how you will be supported. Discuss policies Discuss with your employer what organisational policies and procedures you should follow and refer to in your role as a Mental Health First Aider. Ask your employer what the process will be if you need to step down from the role for any reason. If you are advising a manager, or if you’re a manager yourself, consult the Line Managers’ Resource for external guidance on dealing with mental health in the workplace.
If your employer has any questions about their legal responsibilities around Mental Health First Aid, we have a legal FAQ which you can share with them. Find out about referral pathways Find out from your employer what the referral pathways are for mental health support and how best to signpost a colleague, either internally or externally. Your workplace may have its own support available for employees, such as an Occupational Health or Employee Assistance Programme. Your MHFA England course manual also contains details of reputable national charities and services that can be approached for support. If in doubt on where to signpost someone or how to deal with a crisis, refer to the guidance in your manual. Ask how your role will be communicated Ask your employer how they will let colleagues know you are a Mental Health First Aider and how to contact you. Organisations use a variety of
ways to let staff know how they can talk to a Mental Health First Aider, and what kinds of thing a Mental Health First Aider can support them with. Some examples include putting up posters around the workplace, putting a list on an intranet hub, or giving out first aider lanyards or badges. Your role within the whole organisation Training up Mental Health First Aiders is only one part of an effective approach to fostering a mentally healthy organisation, so it’s a good idea to find out how your role fits in. Ask your employer what steps they are taking to adopt a whole organisation approach to mental health and wellbeing.
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