Would you know how to help?

One in ten young people experience a mental health issue at any one time. Suicide is the leading cause of death for those aged 5-19.

In an average group of 30 15-year-olds:

• Seven are likely to have been bullied
• Six may be self-harming
• One could have experienced the death of a parent

Record levels of young people are struggling. Academic pressure, social media, bullying, poverty, lack of availability of professional mental health support – all have been named by various sources as contributing to this epidemic of poor mental health in our young people.

It’s clear that young people are not getting the support they need. Key figures in a young person’s life – parents, family members, teachers, tutors, carers, youth workers – can often spot when a young person is struggling but may not know how best to help.

At Somerford Youth and Community Centre, we are trained to deliver Mental Health First Aid to young people aged 8 – 18. This means we have the skills and confidence to spot the signs of mental health issues in a young person, offer first aid and guide them towards the support they need. In doing so, we can speed up a young person’s recovery and stop a mental health issue from getting worse. This has created an environment where we have the information and tools to look after our own mental health so that we can set an example for young people. By acquiring these tools to have these conversations, we have created a mentally healthy, supportive environment in our community.

We are also qualified under Mental Health First Aid England to train other s in Youth Mental Health First Aid and run the training courses to train others to become Youth Mental Health First Aiders.

The courses won’t teach you to be a therapist, but they will teach you to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis – and even potentially stop a crisis from happening.

If you are a young person in need of mental health support then please get in touch with us. If you know of a young person who is struggling with their mental health and don’t know where to turn, please contact us.

If you are an adult, organisation or professional who would like to know more about the Youth MHFA training we offer, please Contact Us.