We are delighted to announce that we are launching our new Youth Mental Health First Aid course. The Youth MHFA training is for anyone who works with, lives with, or supports young people aged 8–18.
As a social enterprise, we are committed to improving the mental health of the nation. Significant time, resources, and expertise have been invested in redeveloping the Youth MHFA course. This effort underscores our mission to train one in ten of the nation in mental health knowledge, awareness, and skills.
The redeveloped course launches at a critical time. One in six children aged five to 16 had a probable mental health condition in 2021, a sharp rise from one in nine in 2017. Moreover, suicide remains the leading cause of death among young people under 35, with over 200 school-aged young people lost to suicide annually. Factors such as academic pressures, social media, bullying, inequality, and long waiting times to access professional mental health services have amplified this crisis.
Recognising that 50% of mental health conditions are established by age 14 and that 70% of children and adolescents who experience mental health problems have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age, we redeveloped our Youth MHFA course as an investment in early intervention and prevention. We want to break the stigma surrounding mental health and empower future generations to seek help without fear. Youth MHFAiders® will gain the knowledge, awareness, and skills to spot the signs of a young person experiencing emotional distress or poor mental health, the confidence to start a conversation, and the tools to safeguard and signpost to appropriate support.
The new Youth MHFA is unique in its approach, emphasising inclusivity and co-creation. To ensure that the training reflects the diverse experiences of young people, we worked with the British Youth Council to recruit eight young people, aged between 12 and 18, to join a co–design group. Working with professionals including teachers, psychologists and safeguarding experts, caring adults including parents and guardians, and Youth MHFAiders and current MHFA England Youth Instructor Members, they helped to shape the re-designed course. This approach marked our first formal collaboration with young people, setting a new benchmark for inclusive mental health training.
Louise Lyons-Appiah, a consultant with the British Youth Council, supported the recruitment of the young people in the co-design group and helped to design the course. A passionate advocate for youth mental health, Louise brought a wealth of experience and a personal commitment to ensure that the training genuinely represents the voices of young people.
Louise’s involvement in youth mental health stems from her university days, where she founded a peer support initiative that focused on mental health, equality, diversity, and personal development. This passion project blossomed into a freelance career delivering workshops, talks, and consultancy services in schools and with various organisations.
Her work draws heavily on her own lived experiences. Growing up as a young Black woman in a traditional African family and facing racism in her community and school, Louise experienced anxiety and feelings of isolation. These challenges have fuelled her determination to ensure that young people feel valued, heard, and supported.
Speaking about her involvement, Louise says,
“A lot of the work I do is about making sure young people don’t have to go through those experiences or at least understand their value and worth.
“What sets this training apart, is how centred it is in lived experience and its up-to-date relevance with what young people are going through. It’s a huge step forward for MHFA England and support for young people across the country.”
Membership of the Association of Mental Health First Aiders
For the first time, MHFA England trained Youth MHFAiders will now also be invited to join the Association of Mental Health First Aiders®, the first and only membership body of its kind in England. Youth MHFAiders will now gain exclusive access to a wide range of resources and learning opportunities so they can fulfil their roles with confidence, skill, and care.
This includes:
- The MHFAider Support App®, which provides 24/7 text support, self-care tools, and a national database of health services
- Quarterly webinars, monthly newsletters, and access to real-life insights from those with lived experience
This ensures that the learning doesn’t stop when the course ends. Building on MHFA England’s 17 years of expertise, the Association of Mental Health First Aiders gives Youth MHFAiders the opportunity to ignite a new era of action in mental health.
Speaking about the launch, our Chief Executive, Sarah McIntosh, said:
“We are incredibly proud to launch our new Youth Mental Health First Aid training. It represents a significant step forward in our social enterprise’s vision to improve the mental health of the nation. This course is the result of extensive collaboration with young people, our Instructor Members, and experts, ensuring it is inclusive, impactful, and tailored to the realities faced by young people today.
“Supporting the mental health of young people is a vital in building healthier, more resilient communities now and in the future. By empowering Youth Mental Health First Aiders with the skills, knowledge, and support they need, we are not just addressing immediate needs but fostering a society where mental health is valued equally to physical health.
“This course is part of our whole generation approach to transforming mental health and how we support it, breaking down stigma, and ensuring early intervention is accessible to all. Together, we can create a future where everyone’s mental health matters."
Youth MHFA Refresher
We are also developing a Youth MHFA Refresher. The new course will include the latest mental health statistics and guidance. It will refresh the skills of Youth MHFAiders every three years, so they can continue to carry out their role with confidence, skill and care, and retain their membership of the Association of Mental Health First Aiders.
The new course will
launch in summer 2025.
To
find out more about Youth MHFA or email
workplace@mhfaengland.org