Youth Mental Health First Aid Training

IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Live4Life staff, plus Board & Committee representatives, pose with Mental Health First Aid Instructor Sarah Lungu on the grass out front of the L4L office

A day of Youth Mental Health First Aid training brought together staff and representatives of the Live4Life Board and Committees for an amazing 8 hour practical session.

A big thank you to instructor Sarah Lungu from Mental Health First Aid Australia who took the team through what was, at times, confronting or complex scenarios. It was an incredibly informative and inspiring process, with thoughtful and insightful contributions from everyone.

Youth MHFA training helps participants:

✅ identify the signs and symptoms of a developing mental health problem in a young person

✅ have a conversation with them when they are in distress or crisis

✅ support them in receiving professional help

Mental Health First Aid training for teens and adults is a critical feature of the Live4Life model, equipping rural and regional communities with the skills to listen, connect, and offer support when it matters most. 

Providing Live4Life staff and stakeholders with the same training gives us all an intimate understanding of the program and prepares us to offer more helpful support when we encounter these situations in our own daily lives.

MHFA courses teach you how to provide mental health first aid by using the ALGEE action plan:

A - Approach, assess and assist with any crisis - assess the risk of suicide or harm and look for signs of trauma and high anxiety.

L - Listen to the person non-judgmentally.

G - Give the person reassurance, support and information.

E - Encourage the person to seek appropriate professional help.

E - Encourage the person to seek self-help and other support strategies.

Unlike other emergency action plans, the tasks that make up the ALGEE action plan DO NOT have to be done in sequence.

You can assess the risks, give reassurance and listen without judgment, all at the same time.

For more information, visit www.mhfa.com.au