Bust the Myths
Learn the myths that surround young people and mental health.
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T: 1300 302 462
T: 0493 063 530
PO Box 220
South Melbourne, Vic, 3205
Around 75% of all mental health issues are experienced before the age of 25.
What is mental health first aid and why is it important for youth?
A person’s adolescent years are a critical time for building social and emotional wellbeing and habits. There are multiple factors that can influence the mental health outcomes of youth, many of which are heightened and provoked through social media or may be related to their physical environment, such as their home living conditions.
Around 75% of all mental health issues are experienced before the age of 25. As such, promoting the importance of youth mental health first aid is needed to build awareness of these issues and can serve as a preventative measure before they develop mental health problems or worsen. Due to the critical social and emotional development that occurs during their youth, young people with mental illnesses that are left unattended are more likely to have these areas of development impacted. As a result, they may experience more social isolation, stigma, and may lack interpersonal skills that were affected during their social development phases.
The conversation surrounding our youth’s health and wellbeing has never been more important.
Context of the mental health of youth
Undoubtedly, the statistics around youth mental health are alarming and require more people to be aware of the challenges young people experience.
The prevalence of mental health concerns in adolescence aged 4 to 17 years old now has one in seven of them experiencing a mental health condition each year. Additionally, of those aged 12 to 17 years old, one in ten will self-harm, one in 13 will consider suicide, and one in 40 will attempt suicide.
Globally, mental health illnesses also contribute to 16% of the burden of disease and injury for those aged between 10 and 19 years old. Finally, compared to any other age group, youth are the least likely to get professional help.
This is why the Mental Health Coach has Youth Mental Health First Aid Courses to educate adults, as the conversation surrounding our youth’s health and wellbeing has never been more important.
Why attend an MHFA Youth course?
The overall health of adolescents is heavily impacted by their mental health. The mental health of adolescents is equally as important as their physical health, as it leads them to develop emotional resilience to tackle the challenges life will throw at them later during adulthood.
Youth with mental health problems that are not addressed early on, will progress through to adulthood and is where they are likely to experience greater social exclusion, discrimination, learning difficulties and may be more prone to developing other emotional and behavioural disorders.
Adolescents may experience symptoms such as emotional outbursts or sudden changes in mood and may even develop emotion-related physical symptoms such as headaches. Other behavioural disorders that may be developed during youth include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and destructive behaviours. Some behavioural disorders can heavily impact on someone’s education and could have life long impacts.
To prevent all of the harms and risks that can detrimentally impact a young person’s mental health, more adults need to take action to create supportive environments and networks that encourage these issues to be discussed.
The MHFA evidence-based strategies play a crucial role in addressing and minimising the chances of an adolescent’s mental health worsening, which could have significant ramifications throughout life. Providing youth mental health first aid early on can help address their issue in a proactive way first, and eliminate the stigma around seeking professional help.
Youth mental health first aid training can save and improve the life of a young person.
What will you get out of a mental health first aid course?
By undertaking Youth Mental Health First Aid training, you will learn more about the importance and key components of adolescent development, as well as the signs and symptoms to look out for that may highlight a mental health concern in young people. The Mental Health Coach’s youth MHFA course also provides a clear and practical action plan for assisting an adolescent who may be experiencing a mental health problem or is in a mental health crisis. We also offer MHFA Training, MHFA Refresher and Mental Health First Aid Online courses.
Not sure which course is right for you? Download our course prospectus.
Mental Health skills are essential skill for everyone.
In this video, you’ll hear from Tim, who uses his mental health first aid skills to support other young people.
He explains how the course helps you learn about mental health as well as deal with any crisis that may arise.
You’ll also hear about how it helps you to look after yourself, while you look after others.
How does the course work?
Our Youth Mental Health First Aid course is run by our highly experienced facilitator, Nick McEwan-Hall. On numerous occasions, he has presented at various conferences, webinars and conducted workshops, with the sole vision of educating the community about mental health.
This program is offered online so that anyone can learn about youth mental health first aid, no matter where they are. We firmly believe every adult should learn about the importance of mental health, especially in young people. The youth MHFA training we provide is an education course about understanding how to provide mental health first aid to others and is not a therapy or support service.
Our course has been intentionally designed to be delivered into two components to ensure you receive the most out of your learning experience.
Who is the course for?
This course is designed to inform adults who often interact with youth about the mental health challenges adolescents are experiencing. Our youth mental health first aid training may appeal to adults who live with, care for or work with young people. This may include parents or family members, babysitters, youth workers, school staff, sports coaches or community group leaders.
Course structure
The first part of the program requires participants to do an eLearning component which is approximately 5-7 hours long and can be completed at your own comfortable pace.
After this, you’ll gain access to the second part of the course which is 3 Zoom classes, all 3 hours each, which is followed by a small exam.
- 5-7 hours of self-paced eLearning
- 3 Zoom classes
- Accreditation quiz can only be accessed after the eLearning is completed and the participant has attended all three Zooms
What our clients say about this course
View Our Other Mental Health First Aid Courses
Upcoming Course Dates
Face to Face in Brisbane – 30th September and 1st October, 9am – 4pm
Online – 11, 18 and 25 October, 1-4pm Melbourne time
Mental Health Resources
Blogs
The Synergy of MHFA Courses and Traditional Mental Health Services
At first glance, it may seem that Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Courses and traditional mental health services occupy separate ...
Understanding Loneliness, Isolation, Solitude, and Their Impact on Mental Health
Loneliness, isolation, and solitude are words that often emerge in the emotional and mental health realm. While they might seem interchangeable, ...
Loneliness: The Current and Emerging Epidemic Affecting Lives Globally
Loneliness - it’s often perceived as a simple, temporary emotion one might experience during periods of isolation or when feeling ...
Podcasts
Quiz
Your Facilitator
We know that a great course is made even better by a fantastic facilitator!
Our Founder, Nick McEwan-Hall, facilitates our Mental Health First Aid courses for us. You may have seen Nick present at conferences, workshops and webinars.
If you have, you’ll know Nick is a great facilitator who knows how to bring learning to life. Nick is as passionate about good facilitation as he is about the content.
Participants in our courses rate Nick a 9.7 out of 10 for his facilitation skills. We’re sure you’ll find Nick creative, engaging, knowledgeable, caring and fun!
Enrol now. Learn the skills. Save a life.
