Let's break down barriers
and thrive together.

Course overview

Mental Health First Aid Aotearoa (MHFA)

About 1 in 5 New Zealand adults experience challenges with mental health in any one year.

This means that at some stage, everyone will have close contact with someone experiencing mental health challenges. MHFA is designed to support people to recognise and respond to mental health challenges and crises in workplaces, homes, whānau and communities.

MHFA will teach you how to provide initial support to adults who may be experiencing mental health challenges or mental health crises, until the crisis resolves, or specialist help is accessed. We learn how to apply mental health first aid using a practical and evidence-based Action Plan.

Mental Health First Aid is:

  • Innovative and world leading - internationally acclaimed and available in over 25 countries

  • Developed by professionals and those with lived experience

  • Supported and informed by evidence, research and clinical treatment pathways

  • Adapted to the Aotearoa New Zealand context. Te Pou is the current host and license holder for New Zealand.

Adapted for Aotearoa

International evidence consistently shows that Mental Health First Aid:

  • Improves understanding of mental health challenges, symptoms, treatments, and first-aid strategies

  • Increases confidence to provide initial assistance

  • Increase the likelihood of accessing support and

  • Reduces stigma and discrimination

Supported worldwide

Course content

Mental Health First Aid uses a practical action plan to apply mental health first aid skills, including when people are experiencing a range of mental health crises. We learn how to connect people to appropriate professional help and how to protect and look after ourselves.

Mental Health First Aid is a mental health literacy course for adults aged over 18 years. It is not a therapeutic or support group.

Mental Health
Challenges Covered

  • Depression

  • Anxiety

  • Psychosis

  • Problematic substance use

Mental Health
Crises Covered

  • Suicidal thoughts and behaviours

  • Non-Suicidal self-injury

  • Panic attacks

  • Traumatic events

  • Severe psychosis

  • Severe effects from alcohol or other
    substance use

  • Aggressive behaviours

The ALGEE five step action plan we will learn to apply

  • Approach, assess and assist any crisis

  • Listen and communicate non judgmentally 

  • Give support and information 

  • Encourage professional help 

  • Encourage other supports

Course structure

Mental Health First Aid is a 14 hour face to face course typically delivered consecutively over two days. We can tailor the programme to meet your organisation, for example as four 3 hour sessions.

Given the sensitivity and depth of content, we deliver courses with two Mental Health First Aid Instructors. We also keep the group size to a maximum of 20 participants.

The course is highly interactive and based on best practice principles of adult education.

Course outcomes

  • Build confidence to apply mental health first aid to a person who may be experiencing a mental health challenge or crisis

  • Understand how to reduce mental health stigma and discrimination in your workplace and community 

  • Achieve a certificate of Accreditation as a Mental Health First Aider valid for three years

  • Receive a comprehensive Mental Health First Aid Aotearoa resource manual with in-depth practical information and resources.

Kirsty Pillay-Hansen is the lead Instructor for Peak Wellbeing and Mental Health. She has extensive experience delivering mental health and wellbeing programmes to corporate, local and central government agencies, sports, education and social service sectors. 

Kirsty has a Masters (M.A.) with Distinction in Psychology and has held a broad range of management, trainer, facilitator and coach roles across diverse sectors, with a focus on mental health, wellbeing and resilience.

We work from a values base of empowerment, honesty, and respect to create safe and inclusive learning environments. The practical element of the course breaks down barriers and increases participants' confidence, knowledge and understanding about how to have a mental health conversation. 

Kirsty works with several other Accredited Mental Health First Instructors to make sure that we can tailor a cofacilitated MHFA course to meet your needs.

We believe that when we can confidently have these conversations in our homes, workplaces, whānau and communities, we generate mental health literacy and create environments where we all can thrive.

Who we are

Kirsty Pillay-Hansen
Lead Instructor

Contact

Download the Mental Health First Aid flyer here. Get in touch to access this information in multiple languages and for course costs.

We offer discounted rates to community organisations and corporate groups. 

If you are interested in a MHFA workshop or would like more information, please complete this form and we will be in touch.