Young LGBTQIA+ people are especially vulnerable to mental health issues – we run free and low-cost Youth Mental Health First Aid programs, specifically designed to address the unique challenges they face.
Active mental health support is especially important for adolescents – even more so for LGBTQIA+ people; it’s a critical period of growth, learning to build social & emotional wellbeing habits as they navigate confusing, challenging and sometimes harmful situations.
LGBTQIA+ young people, even more than other adolescents, rely on support networks of friends, mentors, and welcoming, supportive communities to help them find their way through the myriad challenges they face. We aim to bolster these support networks at the same time as informing and empowering young people to understand their own experiences and those of their peers.
Our specialised Rainbow Youth Mental Health First Aid training is built upon the foundation of the Youth evidence-based research from MHFA Australia, and fully customised to speak directly to the unique challenges LGBTQIA+ people commonly experience. Equipped with vital knowledge, skills and effective action plans to safely intervene before problems become overwhelming, LGBTQIA+ people will have the tools necessary to create and develop safe spaces where they can be supported and go on to thrive.
MHFA is informed by the lived experience of people - something our facilitators are familiar with. We bring much of ourselves to each course, and use our experiences as counsellors, coaches, leaders, and as LGBTQIA+ people ourselves to help you connect and learn.
Life is messy - whether it’s time, location, learning type, whatever your experience, we’re there. We prioritise accessibility and tailor our program with unique content that directly speaks to your situation. TMHC is owned and run by LGBTQIA+ people that are proud to share their experiences & knowledge.
Mental health can be a tough topic for many people. With deep respect for both the subject material and you, we make it easier to approach with a comfortable, safe atmosphere - and we even share a laugh from time to time.
In whichever way you engage with the people in your care - we take the same perspective. From building safe spaces, to critical skills and confident, open conversations, we’ll prioritise your needs and find the right outcomes together.
Any Mental Health First Aid certification is a well-understood benefit to any community, but the time or place isn’t always right. We make it easy by working with you to help deliver your preferred course in a way that won’t challenge your schedule.
Mental Health First Aid is for everyone - we aim to make it equally accessible regardless of your experience in life. We offer sensory aids, fidget tools, and customised courses to give you the best experience. Don’t hesitate to tell us what you need.
Our Rainbow Youth Mental Health First Aid courses are designed to empower both young LGBTQIA+ people and the communities they rely on to better navigate the challenges unique to their experience. Through our initial course – a heavily tailored version of Youth MHFA, and over the next 6 months of ongoing support, you’ll join our experienced facilitators to learn about the basics of prevention, early intervention and crisis management. We focus on building informed support networks to create safer, more comfortable spaces for advice, support and immediate care.
We work closely with your community organisers to tailor our course material to include the most relevant information for each group and, for 6 months following the MHFA training, we’ll be there to answer your questions and help you apply your new knowledge and skills.
During our course, we make your comfort a priority so that we can open the door to difficult topics and vulnerable conversations, intentionally pulling back stigmas associated with mental health issues. Our facilitators have personal experience with this topics in this course, so while we take a less sombre tone, we will always treat the content we cover with the sensitivity and respect it deserves.
We have a long background in mental health education, support & awareness – coaching, counselling, preparing seminars and group training programs. We have the experience to prepare the globally-recognised Youth MHFA program, adjusted to be specific to LGBTQIA+ people, in the way that best suits your community.
Reach out to our team to explore how we can provide the Rainbow Youth Mental Health First Aid training, and bring us to your space to deliver a bespoke program.
Our Rainbow Youth MHFA program is more than just training – we include the full breadth of our experiences as Mental Health awareness trainers, as teachers supporting teens & young adults, and as LGBTQIA+ people ourselves. Every detail in our program is informed by evidence-based research, and fully customised to the experiences of young LGBTQIA+ people. We’ve built this program to help LGBTQIA+ people and the people they rely on for safety and support, and to help them build resilient communities full of love, acceptance, and proactive mental health awareness.
Throughout the course, we cover the most up-to-date information on adolescent development, common mental health problems in young people, where and how to seek professional help for a developing mental illness, the most effective methods and the research behind them, and how to provide mental health first aid in crisis situations.
In Australia, and also the wider world, mental health outcomes continually fail to meet the standards of a healthy, functioning society. It’s an issue that deserves our attention – to overcome stigmas and create an environment where people are supported through tough times. We believe it can be achieved with a dedicated response from everyday people.
The Mental Health Coach is our way to improve the support available to vulnerable people all throughout society in a tangible, lasting way. With knowledge from evidence-based training and the confidence to share experiences with peers, we work with you to make a difference.
Nick started The Mental Health Coach with this in mind. From his background as coach, counsellor, facilitator and leader of multidisciplinary teams, he came to understand the wide variety of ways different people engage with learning.
Through programs like the globally-recognised Mental Health First Aid training, TMHC reaches people throughout society. We help people build safer, stronger, more supportive places to work, live and grow. By sharing the knowledge and skills that help make an impact when it matters most, we can all work together to move the needle in the right direction.
We provide Mental Health First Aid training for anyone who needs it. See our options below to find the right course for your situation.
For small groups or individuals, we regularly run MHFA courses online, in-person, and in a variety of formats. Explore our upcoming programs and lock in your spot.
We offer group training, prepared to suit your workplace, team, organisation or group in online or face-to-face format. Explore the ways we can help you.
If you don’t see the answer you’re looking for, reach out to our team to get the right information.
The Rainbow Youth MHFA course is fundamentally Youth Mental Health First Aid – but with a lot more added on top for a few very good reasons. Research clearly shows that young LGBTQIA+ people share the same challenges as other young people, but often through a different lens and sadly, to many worse outcomes.
As LGBTQIA+ people ourselves, we bring a lot of personal experience to the base Youth MHFA course, customising the core curriculum to speak directly to the experiences of LGBTQIA+ people. We also have a customised intake process and post-training support to help get our course into the right communities, and make a true difference to the people who need it.
This program is perfect for you if you have a group of young LGBTQIA+ folk in mind whom you’d like to have good-quality, empathetic wrap-around support. Get in touch with us for a conversation, and we’ll work out the best program for you, together.
Check our Upcoming Training page – we frequently run public & online courses for individuals to join. If you can’t find the right option for you, reach out and let us know – we’ll try to arrange a session that suits your needs.
The program is focussed on supporting young LGBTQIA+ people aged 18 to 25, but is also made to educate people they rely on for support.
To be eligible for our free or low-cost grant-funded program, you need to be identifying as part of the LGBTQIA+ community, feel like you might be, or be a person that they rely on for support, guidance, or close companionship.
For example, you might be a friend, family member, an ally, or someone who works with young LGBTQIA+ people as part of their job – youth worker, counsellor, community group leader, school teacher, etc.
If you aren’t quite sure you’re eligible, please apply anyway and we’ll get in touch with you to work it out.
When we run the program by request with your organisation, we work with you to determine the eligibility requirements that best fit your goals.
