The first two I ever coveted were my 25m swimming badge (one length of the pool & boy did I swallow some water in the process of achieving that) & my Cub Scout ‘First Aider’ Proficiency Badge (the first badge to be sewn on my green jumper that I wore like I was an Army General).
So, I was equally delighted recently to achieve my ‘Mental Health First Aider’ badge through the MHFA as part of my support for the charity Mental Health Motorbike whose mission is to train 1000+ mental health first aiders to provide a network of support for bikers & improve the wellbeing of the biker community.
I thought I was already pretty well versed with how to recognise & support those who might be experiencing mental ill health – turns out I was not quite as good as I had hoped.
The online course took 14 hours over four evenings. It was intense, at times challenging but expertly delivered by the team at MHFA England® & the sense of camaraderie as I learned with fifteen other bikers, was both a joy & a privilege. It really brought it home to me just how much of an impact a friend or family member who is experiencing mental ill health can have on both the individual & those around them.
So, as poor mental health continues to be responsible for 72 million lost working days annually & costs UK employers an estimated 45 billion my challenge to you is this…
What can or are you doing at home or in work to ensure that you (& those around you) are better educated to spot & support the one in four of us who will experience some form of mental ill health over the course of this year alone? Knowledge really is power on this topic – the more you know, the better equipped & more confident you become to help both yourself & others through prevention, intervention or signposting.
Thank you to all those who work so tirelessly in this space – there are some great resources & ways to get involved on the links below.
www.mhfaengland.org www.mhfawales.org www.smhfa.com https://lnkd.in/eQ4QntbR
www.mhmotrobike.com
