The WISE study by the University of Bristol and Cardiff University is an evaluation of the effectiveness of MHFA courses in secondary schools to support staff and students alike. The study consists of three parts:

  1. A group of school staff will be trained in Adult MHFA and will provide a peer support service for colleagues

  2. Teachers will attend a Youth MHFA one day (Schools and Colleges) course which covers key topics around young people’s mental health and wellbeing, with a strong practical focus on how to support young people experiencing mental distress

  3. Teachers will attend a Youth MHFA half day (Lite) awareness course

The study will measure if the training has an effect on:

  • Teacher wellbeing and depression

  • Student wellbeing and mental health difficulties

  • Teacher absence and presenteeism (self-rated poor performance at work)

  • Student attendance and attainment

The project was piloted in six schools and was found to be feasible and well received. 25 schools from Bristol and the surrounding area and from South Wales are taking part in this larger study and results will be available in 2019. In the meantime, more information about the WISE project can be found at bris.ac.uk.