We all have mental health. Sometimes we feel mentally well, while at other times, we might struggle, but we all need to be aware and seek help if we need it.
And that’s where our new Staff Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) can help.
At the end of May, we launched a new scheme to give all colleagues an easy way to find out about the support that’s available if you need it.
Every colleague at Durham can now contact one of our new Staff MHFAs to get support around emotional distress or mental health difficulties. Our 50 Staff MHFAs are volunteers in a range of roles across the University, who have been trained to support colleagues who are facing difficulties with their mental health.
Brian Elliott, HR Business Partner and MHFA Co-ordinator, said:
A key action from our 2021 Health and Wellbeing Strategy was to launch the Mental Health First Aiders programme for staff.
“Last year, over 60 colleagues expressed an interest in getting involved. In all, 50 members of staff received training and have been accredited by MHFA England. They’re all now ready and able to provide a support network for colleagues who might need help with their mental health.
“It’s been great to see so many enthusiastic staff care enough to volunteer their time to help others, and we’ve built a brilliant team of colleagues who are now ready to support anyone in the University.”
Trained to understand
The Staff MHFAs are trained to understand the important factors affecting mental ill health, and to recognise signs and symptoms of a range of mental health difficulties.
Their role is to assist colleagues experiencing a mental health issue or crisis by offering reassurance, listening non-judgementally and sharing information about the professional support available.
Staff MHFAs aren’t there to replace professional support, offer counselling, treatment, diagnosis or ongoing support. Nor do they support students beyond the remit of their usual role; students should be signposted to other appropriate sources of support. The purpose of the Staff MHFAs is to act as a point of contact for colleagues who are experiencing difficulties.
Yasmin Bainbridge, Mental Health Advisor and MHFA Co-ordinator said: “We have MHFAs in a range of roles from many different areas of the University. You don’t have to speak to the MHFA in your team or department.
“You might feel more comfortable speaking to someone you don’t know, and that’s ok. Any member of staff can contact any MHFA. Just have a look on our webpage for more details.”
Find out more
You can find more information and the MHFA contact details on the Mental Health First Aider Sharepoint page.
You can also find a range of online resources, toolkits, workshops and information to support your wellbeing on the health and wellbeing hub including the Employee Assistance Programme, which offers 24/7 help and assistance for staff.