The course will equip you with the skills of what to say and not to say to young people. How to understand the journey and also how to communicate with parents, schools and professionals. What is normal stages of development and how to use the MHFA action plan in relation to the major mental health challanges that affect young people.

The scenarios used during this course will be based on real case studies within this age range.

According to World Health Organisation, 50% of mental health starts by the age of 14, 75% by the early twenties. Therefore schools have an important role to play in education about emotional and social wellbeing. Promoting positive lifestyles, healthy eating, exercise and sleep habits, As well as balance in their emotional and mental well being.

Youth Mental Health First Aid course (YMHFA) is for anyone who works with young people up to the age of 24. It is a 14 hours Internationally certified course. NIMH along with all other major mental health organisation around the world explain that “For both boys and girls, your brain doesn’t finish developing and maturing until your mid- to late-20s. The front part of the brain, called the prefrontal cortex, is one of the last brain regions to mature. It is the area responsible for planning, prioritizing and controlling impulses. All the big changes the brain is experiencing may explain why adolescence is the time when many mental disorders—such as schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and eating disorders—emerge.”

YMHFA focuses on adolescent development and what signs and symptoms to look out for early detaction of mental health problems developing in young people up to the age of 24. As it is a time of growth of the body and mind, risk taking and changes in behaviour.

To be more aware when mental health is emerging as it is a change in thoughts, feelings and behaviour, impacts on daily functioning and last for a period of time.

The course covers anxiety, depression, eating disorders, psychosis, and substance misuse and looks at a number of crisis situations including suicidal thoughts, non suicidal self injury, panic attacks and others.

Participants learn the YMHFA Action Plan and how to use it when in contact with those under the age of 24, and to link them with appropriate services. Participants get a manual and certificate. All 14 hours need to be completed. Participants must be 18 years or over to take part in the course,

Differences between the standard MHFA and YMHFA courses are: YMHFA focuses on adolescent development (up to age 24 as the brain is still developing), also contains the extra section on Eating Disorders. The standard MHFA course covers gambling in the substance misuse section and the YMHFA course does not. The pariticipant needs to identify which client group that they would like to focus on and register for the most appropriate course. Both use the same Action plan

One of Mind HK‘s core goals is to raise awareness through workshops, training sessions, and talks, in order to increase awareness and understanding of mental health in Hong Kong. We are pleased to present Mental Health 101 training session on Nov 10th.

Mental Health 101 will cover:

• The basics of mental health
• Stigma around mental health
• The spectrum of mental health, from anxieties, phobias and depression to more severe conditions
• Self-help treatment options, including wellbeing tips, guided self-help, individual digital interventions and online support
• Who does what: the difference between counsellors, psychologists and psychiatrists
• How to get help with mental health in Hong Kong and internationally
• Dealing with grief and loss
• Case examples

*Mental Health 101 sessions are conducted by clinical professionals in the mental health field.

We suggest you to take Mental Health 101 before taking our Mental Health First Aid certificate course to get the basic knowledge around mental health. Completion of MHFA training will lead to being internationally certified in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA).

Please note this course has very limited spots and we will be offering more opportunities in the future, as we are currently in the process of training clinical professionals to conduct this course.

Mind HK 其中一個核心目標是希望透過研討會、訓練課程及講座去提高公眾對心理健康的關注及認識。我們即將在 11月10日 提供心理健康基礎培訓班。

心理健康基礎培訓班將會包括：

• 心理健康基本知識
• 圍繞心理健康的污名與標籤
• 心理健康譜系：從焦慮、恐懼及抑鬱到更嚴重情況
• 自我幫助的方法：包括心理健康貼士、指導式自助自療、個人網上輔導及網上支援
• 不同相關職業的分別：輔導員、臨床心理學家及精神科醫生
• 處理哀慟情緒
• 個案例子

*心理健康基礎培訓班將由受訓練的專業導師教授。

我們建議您先完成心理健康基礎培訓班後再報讀精神健康急救課程。完成精神健康急救課程後將會成為國際認可的精神健康急救員。

請注意，本課程的位置非常有限，由於我們目前正在培訓專業導師以進行本課程，因此我們將來會提供更多機會。

NOTE: This training has been cancelled due to ongoing circumstances. We apologise for this, but trainer and trainee safety is our number one priority. Any questions, please direct them to [email protected] We hope you will join us at our future trainings. 

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is the help given to someone who is developing or experiencing a mental health crisis before he or she can obtain professional treatment. The training, which is a 12-hour, internationally recognised course, is conducted by accredited professionals. A certificate will be awarded to participants with FULL attendance.

MHFA covers:
Basic knowledge about common mental health problems and related crisis situations

• What you can provide as a lay person and When to get help
• MHFA Action Plans
• Intervening and managing mental health emergencies as a first responder
  • Panic attacks
  • Suicide
  • Self-harm
  • Addictions
• Identify the resources available in the local community

This training will be completed over the course of four sessions (Nov 16 & 17 2019) from 10am – 5pm.

*Mental Health 101 is recommended prerequisite to MHFA. Please check our events page for additional trainings later on.
**Completion of this MHFA training will lead to being internationally certified in MHFA.
Please note this course has very limited spots and we will be offering more opportunities in the future, as we are currently in the process of training clinical professionals to conduct this course.