One in four of us experience a mental health issue every year – It is a concern for businesses of all sizes, playing a big part in growing absenteeism…

Mental health has had a bad press over the past century. The stigma associated with the words ‘mental health’ can send a business owner or HR Manager into overdrive. Smaller businesses often worry about the impact on workload and larger businesses worry about the cause… ‘is it work-related’ and ‘what needs to be done’?

Even on an individual level it is difficult not to raise an eyebrow or two when someone opens up to you about their mental health issues.

Why do we react this way? Does mental health always have to carry this initial negative perception, stigma and burden? How can we educate the business world to understand this growing issue and how do we spot the early signs in the workplace and prevent mental health issues from getting worse?

One Knowsley Chamber Member, passionate and focused about our mental health, is proactively helping businesses across the region to be mental health aware. Helping employees to spot the early signs of a mental health issue of a colleague and educating them to have the confidence to provide mental first aid in the workplace…

Imagine Independence is a charity dedicated to helping people with mental and physical health issues to live their lives as independently as possible. They believe helping people to cope independently is the best way to build self-esteem and enable them to live more fulfilled and productive lives.

Working across the North West they provide personalised, innovative, support to approximately 2,000 people a year struggling with a wide range of issues and offer support with personal skills development, housing, employment, community and vocational opportunities, healthy living and practical solutions to cope.

All with one aim in mind – to help people to live a full and independent life.

Antony Dowell, Campaigns and Partnerships Manager, Said: “We offer Adult Mental Health First Aid courses delivered by an instructor who is not only trained and approved by MHFA England but also has over 20 years of experience of working within mental health services and team management.”

WATCH A SHORT INTERVIEW WITH ANTHONY TALKING ABOUT IMAGINE INDEPENDENCE AND WHAT THEY DO..

In the interview Anthony talks about the Mental Health First Aid course and a taster session Imagine Independence is putting on in partnership with Knowsley Chamber and Knowsley Working Well on #WorldMentalHealthDay on 10 October.

The Adult Mental Health First Aid course (MHFA) is run over two days and is designed to give people practical skills in how to recognise the symptoms of mental health problems, how to provide initial help and how to guide a person towards appropriate professional help. One day and half day courses are also available to develop champions and awareness in the workplace.

The training is designed by MHFA England and accredited by the Royal Society for Public Health. Participants receive a detailed reference manual and certificate on completion of the course as well as ongoing advice from Imagine. If you are a member of Knowsley Chamber you can also get a discount on the course fees of 10% and made aware of special offers.

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an internationally recognised training course which teaches people how to spot the signs and symptoms of mental ill health and provide help on a first aid basis.

MHFA won’t teach you to be a therapist, but just like physical first aid, it will teach you to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis. Adult MHFA courses are for everyone aged 16 upwards.

Imagine’s MHFA course is delivered by a quality assured instructor who has attended the MHFA Instructor Training programme accredited by the Royal Society for Public Health.

Learning takes place through a mix of group activities, presentations and discussions. Our Adult MHFA Two Day course qualifies you as a Mental Health First Aider. Mental Health First Aiders have:

ON WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY ON 10 OCTOBER KNOWSLEY CHAMBER, KNOWSLEY WORKING WELL AND IMAGINE INDEPENDENCE WILL BE HOSTING A MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID HALF-DAY SESSION.