Member handbook and quality assurance framework

Welcome to the MHFA England member handbook and quality assurance framework. Our quality assurance framework sets out our approach to maintaining consistent standards across all MHFA England course deliveries.

MHFA England member handbook and quality assurance framework

Contents

Welcome Quality assurance framework Navigating your membership

Member handbook Role expectations

Instructor Member Associate Instructor National Trainer Assessment frameworks

Instructor Member Associate Instructor National Trainer

Welcome

Here at Mental Health First Aid England, we take pride in being the nation’s leading provider of mental health skills and awareness training. We’re committed to making sure everyone who attends our courses gets a safe and high quality learning experience. Our members are at the heart of what we do. Your skills, hard work, and your passion for delivering training in workplaces and communities, are vital to achieving our mission of training one in ten people in mental health skills and awareness. We want to be as clear as possible in the expectations that we have of our Instructor Members, and we want to support your development as much as we can throughout your journey with us.

Our quality assurance framework sets out our approach to maintaining consistent standards across all MHFA England course deliveries. It will give you an overview of the approach, our expectations, and the tools we’ll use to measure progress. It also sets out our commitment to developing your membership experience. I would like to thank the Instructor Members who have formed the quality assurance steering group for their knowledge, experience and support in developing this framework and handbook: Ross Abbott, Shindo Barquer, Sue Bennett, Nick Ellis, and Sue Hayward. Your input has been invaluable. We’ve designed this framework to encourage a culture of continuous development across our Instructor Member community. We hope it empowers you to continue to deliver the high quality training MHFA England is known for, as we work together to improve the mental health of the nation.

Simon Blake OBE Chief Executive Mental Health First Aid England

Quality assurance framework

Why do we have a quality assurance framework?

To build trust and confidence in the MHFA England offer

To proactively ensure every learner gets high quality training

To identify learning and development requirements

To celebrate and share good practice

MHFA England’s quality assurance framework:

Sets clear expectations

Measures performance against expectations

Drives continuous improvement

We have developed a set of role expectations for each of our three member profiles (Instructor Member, Associate Instructor, and National Trainer). Setting clear expectations

We set a high bar for prospective Instructor Members and they must go through a rigorous selection and training process to ensure they meet the role expectations. Our Instructor Member handbook outlines the required procedures that ensure every Instructor Member delivers our courses consistently to our quality standards.

These role expectations outline the behaviours we expect and uphold

throughout an instructor’s journey with us, from those in training, all the way through to our most experienced members.

Measuring performance

We use a suite of monitoring tools designed for the specific roles our members carry out. These tools allow us to identify examples of high quality performance and areas for improvement. Across our membership community, we: - Encourage learners, clients, members, or anyone else who has a quality assurance concern to report it using our confidential quality concern reporting route - Collect learner evaluation data from every course delivered and replay the feedback to Instructor Members in real time on our member dashboard - Review all learner evaluation data and identify any quality assurance concerns - Follow up on all quality assurance concerns and gather information to understand the situation fully - Conduct observations of course deliveries where we have identified quality assurance issues We will be introducing the following features to the Instructor Member dashboard: - Enhanced course evaluations from learners who are willing to provide us with more detail on their learning experience, anonymised but visible to the Instructor Member

- All Instructor Members will be required to log a light touch self-reflective record after each delivery - Peer feedback from co-deliveries, visible to both co-deliverers We use a targeted approach for those delivering high volumes of our courses (25+ courses per year), for Associate Instructors, and National Trainers: - Proactive observations of course deliveries by these Instructor Members - Three performance reviews per year for Associate Instructors to review feedback from clients and learners, highlight examples of good practice and achievement, and identify development opportunities - Annual performance reviews for National Trainers to review feedback from learners, co-deliverers and plenary speakers, identify examples of good practice and achievement, and identify development opportunities - Regular moderation process for National Trainer application decisions, assessment decisions and sign-off decisions, ensuring that given rationales are appropriate and consistent with MHFA England standards. This exercise will feed into regular standardisation sessions and good practice sharing between National Trainers to strengthen their performance as a team

Driving continuous improvement

The monitoring tools outlined above will allow us to recognise and celebrate examples of high quality performance. We are committed to supporting our members to learn and grow their knowledge and skillsets. Every Instructor Member will be required to complete an annual learning needs self-assessment to identify areas for development. The trends identified in this assessment will form the core content of a new MHFA England Instructor Development programme.

Engagement with the MHFA England Instructor Development Programme is a mandatory part of membership and Instructor Members will be required to log their learnings on their dashboard.

Navigating your membership

Instructor Members

Instructor-Members-In-Training

Applicants for the role of an MHFA England Instructor Member will complete an application form detailing how their knowledge, skills and experience meet the application assessment criteria . If successful, they are accepted onto an MHFA England Instructor Training Programme cohort and become Instructor- Members-In-Training. Instructor-Members- In-Training are guided through their training by two National Trainers, one of whom is assigned as their mentor. During the programme, Instructor- Members-In-Training are assessed against the Instructor Member role expectations . Any candidate who has not met the expectations will be unable to continue their journey with us. Those who progress from delivered sessions of the MHFA England Instructor Training Programme must co-deliver a minimum of two Mental Health First Aider courses, and provide a self-reflective record documenting their development, as well as a full set of learner evaluations to their mentor. Their mentor makes an assessment about whether the Instructor- Member-in-training has met the quality standards of the Instructor Member role expectations . If successful, the Instructor-Member- In-Training is signed off as an Instructor Member to deliver the Mental Health First Aider course.

After sign-off, Instructor-Members-In- Training become approved Instructor Members. This means they are granted the right to deliver the Mental Health First Aider course. Their role is to deliver high quality mental health learning experiences on behalf of MHFA England. Instructor Members may be in-house (employed and delivering MHFA England products within their organisation), or independent (self-employed and delivering MHFA England products to their own clients). See the full role expectations for Instructor Members here. Upskill courses Instructor Members can qualify to deliver MHFA Champion (one day) or Mental Health Aware (half day) courses by applying for and successfully completing an upskill course. Extension training Instructor Members can also qualify to deliver another Mental Health First Aider product (for example, if they currently deliver Adult MHFA and wish to add Youth MHFA to their range), by applying for and successfully completing extension training.

Associate Instructors Associate Instructors deliver MHFA England products directly to MHFA England clients. Their role is to deliver high quality mental health learning to MHFA England workplace and community clients, ensuring the creation of amazing client and learner experiences. When we have vacancies for Associate Instructors, applications are open to any Instructor Member. Applicants need to detail how their knowledge, skills, and experience meet the published assessment criteria . The prospective Associate Instructor assessment process involves a written application, interview, and observation of training delivery. See the full role expectations for Associate Instructors here.

National Trainers

National Trainers deliver MHFA England Instructor Training Programmes. They support on delivering and creating training to support Instructor Member development. Their role is to deliver high quality training and mental health learning experiences to Instructor Members. They ensure we have a pool of confident, knowledgeable, and skilled MHFA Instructor Members. When we have vacancies for National Trainers, applications are open to any Instructor Member. Applicants need to detail how their knowledge, skills and experience meet the published assessment criteria . The prospective National Trainer assessment process involves a written application, interview, and observation of training delivery. See the full role expectations for National Trainers here.

Member handbook 1. Introduction 1.1 MHFA England’s vision, mission and values 1.2 Key terms 1.3 Equity and inclusion commitments 2. Listing courses 2.1 Instructor Member details 2.2 Scheduling courses 2.3 Course descriptions 2.4 Course pricing 2.5 Listing courses for organisations 2.6 Approval of course listings 2.7 Amending or deleting course listings 2.8 Associate Instructors and National Trainers 3. Course delivery opportunities 3.1 Associate Instructors 3.2 National Trainers

4. Communicating with learners and clients 4.1 Communication principles 4.2 Promoting your courses 4.3 Introductions 4.4 Course changes 4.5 Cancelled or postponed courses 4.6 Reasonable adjustments 4.7 Minimum age requirements for course attendance 4.8 Concerns 5. Managing relationships with learners and clients 5.1 Instructor Members 5.2 Associate Instructors 5.3 National Trainers

6. Communicating with MHFA England 6.1 All members 6.2 Instructor Members 6.3 Associate Instructors 6.4 National Trainers 6.5 Workplace from Meta

7. Course and programme delivery timelines 7.1 Courses delivered by Instructor Members

9. Reflecting on course and programme deliveries

10. Cancelled and

postponed courses

7.2 Client courses delivered by Associate Instructors 7.3 Instructor Training Programme delivered by National Trainers 7.4 Upskill courses delivered by National Trainers 7.5 Instructor Training recaps delivered by National Trainers

11. Supporting quality assurance procedures and activities 11.1 Raising a confidential quality concern 12. Maintaining your membership 12.1 Interrupted membership 12.2 Quality assurance related suspension

8. Delivering MHFA England courses and programmes 8.1 Setting up

8.2 During delivery 8.3 Course feedback 8.4 IT requirements 8.5 Delivery requirements 8.6 National Trainer mentoring of Instructor-Members-In-Training

1. Introduction

Please ensure you are using the most recent version of this handbook, which is available on your dashboard. MHFA England has developed this handbook for our Instructor Member community to help you understand and meet the necessary quality standards. Your conduct and performance will be measured against the expectations of your role(s) as a member and representative of MHFA England. This handbook will also outline what you can expect from MHFA England. The guidance for members applies to everyone: Instructor Members, Associate Instructors, and National Trainers. Associate Instructors and National Trainers have additional specific guidance for their roles. 1.1 MHFA England’s vision, mission and values These are the qualities we want people to associate with MHFA England. We do our best to live these values in everything we do and say at MHFA England, and we ask all our members to do the same. The language we choose and the way we behave should be guided by these qualities. Our vision Our vision is to improve the mental health of the nation. We want a society where everyone can thrive. We believe in zero stigma surrounding mental health. We want mental health to be openly discussed and supported.

Our mission Our mission is to train one in ten people in mental health knowledge, awareness, and skills. We want our training to create an unshakable belief that we can all talk freely about mental health and seek support when we need it.

Our values - Inclusive - Accessible - Empowering - Trustworthy - Innovative

1.2 Key terms

Term

Definition

members

All Instructor Members, Associate Instructors, and National Trainers.

A learner on an Instructor Training Programme or within their sign-off period. They are considered an Instructor-Member-In-Training from the point they begin the programme, until they are signed off, becoming an approved Instructor Member, or drop out of the process. A person who has completed an MHFA England Instructor Training Programme (face-to-face or online) and been signed off by their National Trainer mentor to deliver an MHFA England Mental Health First Aider product and who has maintained all other conditions of their membership.

Instructor-Member- In-Training

Instructor Member

An Instructor Member who is contracted by MHFA England to deliver courses and products to MHFA England commercial or community clients.

Associate Instructor

An Instructor Member who is contracted by MHFA England to deliver the Instructor Training Programme and associated product recaps and product upskills. A National Trainer assigned to support an Instructor-Member-In-Training through their sign-off process. The Instructor-Member-In-Training is the mentee and has access to their mentor for support and guidance.

National Trainer

mentor

An Instructor-Member-In-Training who is supported through their sign-off process by a National Trainer mentor.

mentee

The qualities that MHFA England expects our Instructor Members, Associate Instructors, and National Trainers, to demonstrate in their role.

Role expectations

Public-facing MHFA England authorised representatives. They promote our work amongst their community and are an advocate for our mission and vision.

ambassador

1.3 Equity and inclusion commitments

The language, imagery, and video choices that you use during course deliveries should also reflect MHFA England’s equity and inclusion commitments. You can read our Statement of Intent on Race Equity to find out more about these. We encourage you to challenge any language or behaviour from learners and other members that does not reflect this statement. Learning and development To support this, all members are required to complete the relevant training and development opportunities provided by MHFA England. It is important that you keep up to date on good practice in relation to equity and inclusion and embed this learning into your own practice. We have provided anti-racism training for Instructor Members and shared our Inclusive Language Guide with you. The training and the guide will support you in having conversations about anti-racism. All members are encouraged to complete the training and use the guide. Associate Instructors and National Trainers are also required to deepen their knowledge of cultural and intersectional sensitivity about mental health. This should extend to appropriate signposting.

As an inclusive organisation, MHFA England is committed to equity, equality, and diversity. We want all our learners, members, and colleagues to be treated fairly. It is the responsibility of all members to conduct themselves in an inclusive and respectful manner. Your behaviour, language, and actions should align with your role as an ambassador and representative of MHFA England, and adhere with the Role Expectations and the MHFA England Code of Conduct. Every MHFA England course and programme that you deliver must provide an inclusive experience for learners. This should be reflected in your language, communication, and delivery style. You must be able to show an understanding of the impact of racism, oppression, and inequalities upon mental health and wellbeing. This must be evident in both your course delivery practices, and the courses and programmes that you formally deliver. When delivering MHFA England Instructor Training Programmes, National Trainers must role model the expected behaviours through their words and actions. They must also ensure each new cohort of Instructor Members understands the importance of equity, diversity, and inclusivity. You must be inclusive of people with different identities and beliefs when communicating with learners, clients, and peers. This applies to both written and verbal communication. Your communication should be mindful of the power dynamics of race, gender, sexual orientation, and disability.

2. Listing courses

All Instructor Members must only list and deliver courses for course products that they have been formally accredited to deliver by MHFA England. Instructor Members must list all courses using the online Course Management System. You must adopt a fair and reasonable approach when listing MHFA England courses, ensuring that you do not list more courses than you can deliver. 2.1 Instructor Member details When listing courses on the MHFA England website, or on other platforms or websites, you (or the administrator listing courses on your behalf) must list the details of all Instructor Member(s) who will be delivering the MHFA England course. Please ensure all Instructor Member details added for each course listing is accurate. 2.2 Scheduling courses All upcoming online and face-to-face MHFA England courses must be listed on the MHFA England website at least five working days before the start of the course. For online courses where materials need to be delivered directly to learners, courses must be listed at least ten working days before the start of the course. Ensure that course dates/timings are correct, and comply with the intervals and timings recommended by MHFA England. Live session dates and times must allow learners enough time to complete individual learning activities where required between sessions.

Be considerate and mindful of your own safety and wellbeing by scheduling course deliveries with appropriate intervals between each scheduled course. 2.3 Course descriptions Ensure all listed courses follow the same description as those on the relevant course page on the MHFA England website: - Adult products: Mental Health First Aider MHFA Champion Mental Health Aware MHFA Refresher - Youth products: Online Mental Health First Aid Mental Health First Aider MHFA Champion Mental Health Aware - Higher Education products: MHFA Champion - Armed Forces products: Mental Health First Aiders 2.4 Course pricing In any course promotion or advertisement, Instructor Members must refer to the MHFA England recommended course price. When offering the course at a lower price than the one recommended by MHFA England, Instructor Members must communicate clearly in all public advertisements: 1. That the course has been subsidised/ discounted 2. The source of the funding, if applicable

2.7 Amending or deleting course listings For information on amending or deleting approved course listings, see section 10 of this handbook. 2.8 Associate Instructors and National Trainers MHFA England staff arrange and schedule courses to be delivered by Associate Instructors, and programmes to be delivered by National Trainers. For more information on this, see section 3.1 and section 3.2 of this handbook.

For example: ‘We have spaces available in April on the Online Mental Health First Aider course (valued at £300pp) which we’re able to offer at a subsidised price of £200 due to NHS funding.’ Instructor Members must also provide the reason for the discount, with the source of funding clearly detailed, in the course description box on the Course Management System. 2.5 Listing courses for organisations If you are an in-house Instructor Member delivering within your employer’s organisation, or an independent Instructor Member delivering an MHFA England course to your client organisation, select ‘private’ from the drop down when listing the course, and include the name of the organisation. This will ensure that the course listing stays private and is not publicly available for bookings.

2.6 Approval of course listings

MHFA England will approve course listing submissions within two working days of the listing being submitted. If there are any issues with the course listing submission, MHFA England will reject the listing and inform the Instructor Member accordingly.

3. Course delivery opportunities MHFA England notifies Associate Instructors and National Trainers of relevant course delivery opportunities by email. However, MHFA England cannot guarantee work or course delivery opportunities for Associate Instructors and National Trainers. 3.1 Associate Instructors MHFA England offers course delivery opportunities to Associate Instructors using this process: 1. The Client and Community Delivery team sends an email to suitable Associate Instructors, outlining the basic details of the opportunity. This email is sent to Associate Instructors who are suitable based on their sector experience, location (where applicable), and which courses they are accredited to deliver. The work is allocated on a first- come, first-served basis 2. Associate Instructors have three working days to respond to this email (unless otherwise stated). If they do not respond within this time, it is assumed that they are unavailable or not interested in taking up this course delivery 3. If an Associate Instructor accepts the course delivery opportunity, they receive a separate confirmation email to confirm the details of the delivery. This email includes the unique course code, and confirms which MHFA England team members will oversee the course delivery preparations

4. Following the course booking confirmation and introduction, Associate Instructors are required to: - Arrange and lead a pre-course call with the client and the relevant Client Delivery Manager, at least seven days prior to the first course delivery date - Confirm with the client that course materials have been received - Set up the course on the Course Management System, and send all joining links and instructions to the client and learners 5. Associate Instructors are kept informed of all developments relating to their course deliveries arranged through the Client and Community Delivery team The Client and Community Delivery team works collaboratively with Associate Instructors to deliver the best possible experience for MHFA England clients. 3.2 National Trainers MHFA England Instructor Training Programme dates are advertised on the MHFA England website, and applications are made online. The process for assigning National Trainers to deliver the programme is: 1. The MHFA England Training Delivery team plans and schedules programme dates for the following year on a six month basis

2. MHFA England sends an email to National Trainers, outlining the schedule of programme dates 3. National Trainers have until the closing date specified in the email to bid on dates. If they do not respond within this time, it is assumed that they are unavailable or not interested in taking up the programme delivery 4. Two National Trainers are allocated to each programme. Allocation is based on the National Trainers' availability and the programmes they are accredited for 5. Confirmation emails are sent to National Trainers within two weeks. National Trainers are required to hold the dates they have bid for until they have received confirmation 6. Six weeks before the programme is due to start, the Training Delivery team sends the National Trainer an email to confirm the programme, venue and learner details 7. Following this, National Trainers are required to: - Book lived experience plenary speakers - Book a plenary speaker for the racism and mental health module - Where applicable, arrange travel and accommodation for themselves

8. The Training Delivery team organises the delivery of manuals, workbooks, instructor kits and associated programme materials, either to the venue or directly to learners The Training Delivery team works collaboratively with National Trainers to deliver the best possible experience for We offer opportunities to replace National Trainers who have dropped out of deliveries. Our Training Delivery team will recruit National Trainers for these roles by email or phone, depending on the timeline. Delivery fees Delivery fees can be found on the National Trainer section of the Instructor Member dashboard. Instructor-Members-In-Training. Cover for National Trainers

4. Communicating with learners and clients

4.1 Communication principles

4.3 Introductions We recommend that members introduce themselves to learners over email before their course starts. This email should also remind learners of any relevant information or activities that need to be completed before the course. 4.4 Course changes Any changes to the scheduled dates or times of a course must be communicated to learners and clients as far in advance as possible of the start date. 4.5 Cancelled or postponed courses If a course delivery needs to be postponed or cancelled, Instructor Members must inform all learners as far in advance as possible of the start date of the course. For information on communicating about cancelled/postponed courses, see section 10 of this handbook. 4.6 Reasonable adjustments If a learner requests a reasonable adjustment to attend the course, the member should discuss the learner’s requirements with them and agree how to make any adjustments. If you have any queries about reasonable adjustments or accessibility of online learning platforms, individual learning activities, or course materials, please contact MHFA England. For contact information, see section 6 of this handbook.

All communications and interactions with prospective and registered learners and clients must reflect MHFA England's values and equity and inclusion commitments . They should also be clear, timely, considerate, and uphold the reputation of MHFA England. When communicating with prospective and registered learners and clients, members should aim to respond as soon as possible. When an immediate response is not needed, we recommend responding within three days at the latest. We advise setting up an email auto-response to state an expected response time. 4.2 Promoting your courses For information on promoting MHFA England courses and using social media as a MHFA England representative, please refer to the Instructor Member Marketing and Communications Guide. This is available under the ‘Resources’ section of the Instructor Member dashboard. Please note that Instructor Members can only use the Instructor Member badge and must not use the MHFA England logo in their email signatures or any advertising. Using the Instructor Member badge The Instructor Member badge is a symbol to signify your MHFA England membership. This accreditation badge demonstrates that you are approved to deliver the only licensed mental health first aid courses in England. The badge can be downloaded from your Instructor Member dashboard.

4.7 Minimum age requirements for course attendance Our courses are designed, tested, and approved for adults (18 years and over). However, a young person (16 or 17 years old) may undertake an MHFA England course if they are within a school or youth community setting. Any requests for a young person to attend a course should come from the school or youth community setting itself, and not from the young person or their parent/guardian. Please note under no circumstances can anyone under the age of 16 attend any MHFA England courses. Safeguarding Instructor Members must ensure that they read and adhere to the safeguarding policy of the school or youth community setting. It is the responsibility of the school or youth community setting to ensure that the Instructor Member has met their criteria and that there is appropriate supervision in place. Criteria for a young person to attend If you as an Instructor Member receive a request for a young person to attend a MHFA England course, it is necessary that they meet all the following criteria: – The request relates specifically to a course delivery in a school or youth community setting – An appropriate rationale has been provided for the young person to be undertaking the course

– Informed parental/guardian consent has been obtained – There is an appropriate adult named to accept responsibility that it is a safe environment for the young person and that they can offer support to the young person during and after they have attended the course If all the above criteria are met, the request can be granted. Privacy The Instructor Member must keep a record of the information for a minimum of 12 months from when the course is delivered.

4.8 Concerns If you have any concerns about communications with a learner or client, please contact MHFA England. We are happy to discuss any concerns and offer guidance on how to resolve the situation. For contact information, see section 6 of this handbook.

5. Managing relationships with learners and clients

5.1 Instructor Members All members are responsible for establishing and maintaining a professional relationship with learners and clients, based on confidence, integrity, respect, and trust. Members must prioritise early communication, effectively manage learner and client expectations, and provide clarity on the contents and requirements of the course. Safeguarding employees When delivering to organisations, either as an in-house or independent Instructor Member, members must enquire about the safeguarding and protective provisions made by the employer to support the role of the Mental Health First Aider. Where required, refer employers to the resources on the MHFA England website: - Implementation guide for employers - Role guide for Mental Health First Aiders Marking learners as complete Instructor Members must mark all learners who complete the course as ‘complete’ in a timely manner to confirm attendance. It is good practice to mark relevant learners as 'complete' either within the final break during the last session of the course delivery, or as soon as the course concludes. This will help ensure that learners receive the opportunity to provide feedback on the course to MHFA England and receive their certificate. Where there are repeated instances of learners not being marked as complete or significant delays in marking learners as complete, MHFA England will contact Instructor

Members directly to follow up on this as a quality related concern. Dealing with incomplete attendance A learner must not be marked as having completed the course if they have missed a significant amount of the course. Missing parts of sessions will mean their learning is incomplete. Learner or client feedback If a learner or client provides feedback or raises a concern to you, we expect you to take this into consideration. When applicable, you should adapt the rest of the course delivery to improve the learning experience. 5.2 Associate Instructors The Client and Community Delivery team arranges an introduction between the client and the Associate Instructor around two weeks before the first course delivery. After the introduction, the Client Delivery Manager gives the Associate Instructor guidance on the next steps. When communicating directly with the client, it is a good opportunity for the Associate Instructor to ask any questions you may have, offer yourself as a resource to the client, and answer any of the client’s questions. Associate Instructors must copy the Client Delivery Manager into all communications with the client. Safeguarding employees The Associate Instructor and Client Delivery Manager will liaise with the client during the pre-course call to discuss safeguarding and protective provisions to support the role of the Mental Health First Aider.

Arranging course deliveries If a client contacts the Associate Instructor directly post-delivery to arrange further training, the Associate Instructor must refer them back to MHFA England via the Client Delivery Manager. Associate Instructors must not offer any private work or services to the client which may be in competition with MHFA England, without first checking with the Client Delivery Manager. Post-delivery reports If a client asks for a post-delivery report, the Associate Instructor should direct them back to the Client Delivery Manager at MHFA England. As all reporting is completed by MHFA England, the report must not be provided by the Associate Instructor to the client. The report from MHFA England will include comments and further information provided by the Associate Instructor. This is in line with MHFA England’s contract with the client and ensures that all clients receive a consistent service and an appropriately branded report. 5.3 National Trainers The Training Delivery team sends confirmation details to learners booked onto an Instructor Training Programme four weeks before the programme start date. This includes the names, contact emails, and phone numbers of the National Trainers delivering the programme. National Trainers should make contact with the learners at least one week before the programme starts. This is an opportunity

to introduce yourself to the learners and provide relevant information and reminders. National Trainers should remind learners to complete the required individual learning activities, before the first live session where applicable. National Trainers must remind learners to complete the relevant sections of the portfolio throughout the course. They also need to discuss the assessment process and sign-off procedures. We encourage our National Trainers to establish and maintain a mentoring relationship with their mentee that is professional and supportive. For information about mentoring, please refer to section 8.6 of this handbook.

6. Communicating with MHFA England

6.1 All members All members are encouraged to maintain open communication with the team at MHFA England. We want all our members to have a consistently great experience with us and to feel valued. We are committed to giving you a professional and personable experience which role models the integrity, honesty, and professionalism we expect from our members. When communication from a member does not meet our expected standards, we will consider this to be non-compliant with this handbook and the membership role requirements. This will trigger a quality assurance investigation. For information on quality assurance investigations, see section 11 and section 12 of this handbook. We ask all members to respond to MHFA England communications in a timely manner and within the timeframe outlined in the communication. We welcome feedback to enable us to continuously improve. If you have any feedback or concerns about MHFA England or our courses, please contact us on feedback@mhfaengland.org . Our complaints, comments and feedback policy is available on the MHFA England website. 6.2 Instructor Members The main point of contact for Instructor Members is: instructorsupport@mhfaengland.org . The Instructor Support team aims to respond to communications within two to three working days.

For urgent queries, call 020 3962 8836 and select option 2 to speak to the Instructor Support team. 6.3 Associate Instructors The main point of contact for Associate Instructors is the Client and Community Delivery team at: workplace@mhfaengland.org . The Client and Community Delivery team aims to respond to communications within three working days. For urgent queries, call 020 3928 0760 and select option 2 to speak to the Client and Community Delivery team. 6.4 National Trainers The main point of contact for National Trainers is the Training Delivery team at training@mhfaengland.org . The Training Delivery team aims to respond to communications within two to three working days. For urgent queries, call 020 3928 0760 and select option 3 to speak to the Training Delivery team. 6.5 Workplace from Meta All members can join MHFA England Workplace from Meta where they can interact with peers across the member community, share good practice, and pose queries. To join Workplace from Meta, please complete the sign up form .

7. Course and programme delivery timelines

7.1 Courses delivered by Instructor Members All materials for MHFA England courses should be ordered as early as possible. At the latest, you must order materials: - For online courses: at least ten working days before the course start date - For face-to-face courses: at least five working days before the course start date Any delays in ordering materials may mean that your learners do not receive the course materials in time. 7.2 Client courses delivered by Associate Instructors The Client and Community Delivery team aim for a six-to-eight-week lead time when arranging client bookings. Occasionally bookings are accepted with less notice. If this is the case, this will be communicated in the initial email sent to Associate Instructors to inform them about the course delivery opportunity. Six to eight weeks before delivery 1. Availability request - Client and Community Delivery team send Associate Instructors an email to let them know about the opportunity 2. Availability confirmation - Associate Instructors confirm their availability to work

- Occasionally an Associate Instructor may be asked to hold dates in their diary if a client has requested their availability. If this is the case, we ask the Associate Instructor to hold dates for a maximum of five working days 3. Confirmation email - Client and Community Delivery team send the Associate Instructor the course confirmation email with the course code - The Client Delivery Manager notifies the client and sends them the Associate Instructor’s public profile to highlight their experiences and skills Two weeks before delivery 1. Introduction to client - The Client and Community Delivery team introduces the Associate Instructor to the client via email - The Associate Instructor leads a pre-

course call with the client. Please refer to the pre-course information sheet provided by the Client and Community Delivery team

2. Preparation

- The Associate Instructor must familiarise themselves with the client and their work, and consider any extra information or material about the wellbeing strategy at the workplace. For example, some deliveries include an extra slide to highlight the client’s organisational pathways/ Employee Assistance Programme. This information is provided in advance

48 hours after delivery - The Associate Instructor must complete and send the online Associate Instructor feedback form, as provided by the Client and Community Delivery team, within 48 hours of delivering the course. Where necessary, the Associate Instructor should check in with the relevant Client Delivery Manager 7.3 Instructor Training Programmes delivered by National Trainers Four to six months before delivery 1. Delivery opportunities and bid requests - The Training Delivery team sends National Trainers an email with the new schedule of Instructor Training Programme deliveries 2. Availability confirmation - National Trainers submit bids for their choice of programmes. They hold the dates for their chosen programmes until they receive confirmation of the programmes they have been allocated (usually within two weeks) - Two National Trainers are allocated to each Instructor Training Programme. It is not possible to guarantee that National Trainers will be allocated the programmes that they bid on. Allocations are based on availability and fair distribution of work - National Trainers are required, barring unforeseen circumstances, to remain available to deliver the programmes

that they are allocated - National Trainers who need to withdraw from delivering a programme must inform the Training Delivery team urgently Three months before first scheduled programme delivery 1. Instructor Training Programme dates are released periodically on the MHFA England website - People begin to submit applications to attend a programme within the next three months - Applications undergo an initial check by the Training Delivery team, and are then assigned to a programme and made available to National Trainers for assessment 2. The National Trainers allocated to the programme review the application and decide whether to approve the application - National Trainers are required to make 3. The applicant is notified via an automated email on the outcome of their application Four to six weeks before delivery: programme viability confirmation - The Training Delivery team confirm via email to the National Trainers that the programme has met the minimum number of paid learners and will be going ahead as scheduled application assessment decisions within ten working days of the applications being made available to them for review and assessment

Four weeks before delivery: final confirmation 1. The Training Delivery team sends information via email to the National Trainers containing the final details of the programme, including the programme summary and learner list 2. Learners receive an email containing joining instructions, relevant programme information, and contact details for the National Trainers who will be delivering the programme One week before delivery 1. National Trainers should familiarise themselves with the learners due to attend the programme 2. National Trainers must send an email to the learners reminding them of key information and any activities that they need to complete 7.4 Upskill courses delivered by National Trainers Up to six months before delivery 1. Delivery opportunities and bid requests - The Training Delivery team sends National Trainers an email with the new schedule of upskill course deliveries 2. Availability confirmation - National Trainers submit bids for their chosen courses. They hold the dates until they receive confirmation of the courses they have been allocated (usually within two weeks)

- One National Trainer is allocated to each upskill course. It is not possible to guarantee that National Trainers will be allocated any of the courses they bid on. Allocations are based on availability and fair distribution of work - National Trainers are required, barring unforeseen circumstances, to remain available to deliver the courses that they are allocated - National Trainers who need to withdraw from delivering a course must inform the Training Delivery team urgently so that a replacement can be organised Three months before first scheduled course delivery 1. Upskill course dates are released periodically on the MHFA England website. Eligible Instructor Members can book to attend a course within the next three months 2. Once the booking has been processed by the Training Delivery team, the applicant is notified via an automated email Two weeks before delivery 1. The Training Delivery team sends information via email to the National Trainer containing the final details of the course, including the course summary and learner list 2. Learners receive an email containing joining instructions, relevant course information, and contact details for the National Trainer who will be delivering the course

7.5 Instructor Training recaps delivered by National Trainers - Instructor Training recaps are only delivered to Instructor Members as learners - Opportunities to deliver Instructor Training recaps are offered to National Trainers via email or by phone by the Training Delivery team on an as-needed basis. This is dependent on the timescale for the need, or if the learner has requested a specific National Trainer - National Trainers must respond within the stated response time to confirm their availability and interest to deliver. These opportunities are typically allocated for delivery on a first-come, first-served basis to a National Trainer accredited to deliver the course - The date to deliver a recap should be confirmed between the assigned National Trainer and the learner based on availability. The Training Delivery team will order any necessary materials for the learner

8. Delivering MHFA England courses and programmes

8.1 Setting up Online courses For online course deliveries, it is good practice for members to log onto the Online Learning Hub/video conferencing platform a few days before the course to complete initial technical checks. On the date of each live session, members should be logged onto the Online Learning Hub/video conferencing platform at least 45 minutes before the start time, to allow time to resolve any technical issues. Face-to-face courses When delivering face-to-face courses, members must arrive at the venue 45 minutes to one hour before the course, to allow time to prepare for the delivery. 8.2 During delivery On the day of the course, you must check the names of learners against the learner list. You can find the learner list for the course you are delivering that day on the Instructor Member dashboard. As far as possible, courses must be delivered in line with the MHFA England recommended and expected timings for the course, adhering to the relevant lesson plan and instructor kit. 8.3 Course feedback Instructor Members must mark all learners who attend the full course as ‘complete’ in a timely manner to confirm attendance. It

is good practice to mark relevant learners as complete either within the final break during the delivery, or as soon as the course concludes.' We recommend that all members include an additional 15 minutes at the end of the course for learners to complete their course evaluation feedback. Please encourage learners to check their emails to find and complete the course evaluation feedback during this time. If learners cannot complete the course evaluation feedback during the live session, please encourage them to complete this at their earliest convenience. Course evaluation feedback forms an integral part of the MHFA England quality assurance process to help ensure that courses are being delivered to the required quality standard. They are also vital in helping to inform post- delivery reflections to highlight good practice and support developmental considerations to improve deliveries. Instructor Training Programmes Learners on the Instructor Training Programme will have the opportunity to provide feedback on plenary speakers who deliver a session during their programme. Plenary speakers will also be encouraged to provide feedback on their overall experience of delivering their session as part of each Instructor Training Programme they deliver on. 8.4 IT requirements All members must have the IT skills necessary to enable successful course deliveries. This applies to both face-to-face deliveries and when using the Online Learning Hub or any

video conferencing platform to deliver courses.

appropriate and required. This should reflect the needs and learning styles of the learners - Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation for the key messages and ALGEE action plan - Create opportunities for peer-to-peer learning with effective questioning skills - Use a range of skills and activities (appropriate to the learners and the product) to engage learners with - Encourage all learners to actively participate - Effectively manage the group dynamics and discussions - Confidently challenge and manage any negative language, attitude or behaviours displayed by learners - Provide appropriate safety warnings and opt-out options/wellbeing reminders - Pay attention to learner engagement during the live sessions - Where required, confidently and effectively manage any signs of distress - Only share personal experiences, knowledge and/or anecdotes that enhance the learning experience and remain relevant to the context of the session and subject matter - Actively encourage learner evaluation feedback on the course delivered by allocating specific time at the end of the course for learners to complete the evaluation feedback - Complete all administrative requirements via the Instructor Member dashboard to

All members must be confident at managing learners and any unexpected technical issues during their course delivery. When delivering courses online, all members should be able to problem-solve common technical issues experienced as part of online deliveries, and signpost learners to any further required technical support. 8.5 Delivery requirements All members In addition to the guidance and requirements detailed in this handbook, when delivering to learners, independently sourced clients, or MHFA England clients, all members must: - Refresh their knowledge of the product, its course content, and associated core resources before delivering the course - Deliver the course in accordance with the relevant product, lesson plan, and instructor kit - Adhere as closely as possible to the recommended timings for the course - Ensure that learners understand the aims and expected outcomes of the course. These should be communicated both verbally and in writing - Use appropriately de-stigmatising language towards mental ill health and mental health conditions - Use an appropriate tone, manner, and delivery pace for the learners - Adapt course delivery style where

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