Forward July 2016 | Page 9

AROUND THE SCHOOL Mental Health First Aid for Parents Early in Term 1 the School’s Nurse Manager, Vicki Bellinge presented Mental Health First Aid training to a group of enthusiastic parents and staff. The course was run over four consecutive Tuesday evenings to cover the 12-hour program. This essential course teaches adults how to provide initial support to young people who are developing a mental illness or experiencing a mental health crisis. Course participants learn about the signs and symptoms of the common and disabling mental health problems, how to provide initial help, where and how to get professional help, what sort of help has been shown by research to be effective, and how to provide first aid in a crisis situation. a mental illness so that they can get the appropriate help. As a Mental Health First Aider with the training I have learned through the course I feel confident enough to help someone if they are showing signs of stress, anxiety or depression. I will use the knowledge gained from the course every day helping loved ones and the wider community. I am now an Accredited Mental Health First Aided, valid until 2019. Linda: Firstly, can I say that the School, and particularly our boys, are very lucky to have Vicki Bellinge in our school community. I feel very confident that if my son ever were to need help he would be in very safe hands! at setting a comfortable atmosphere for learning and sharing experiences. A really worthwhile course. Feedback from some of our course participants is below: Tanya: I recently completed the four-week Mental Health First Aid course run by Vicki Bellinge. The course ran every Tuesday from 5.30-8.30pm for four weeks and focused on a different mental health issue each week. I found the whole course extremely interesting and beneficial, particularly the third session which focused on eating disorders and anxiety. Several people close to me suffer from both of these disorders and the course gave me so many tips as to how I can support these people and understand what they are going through. Many primary and secondary students suffer from anxiety today and I found these sessions very relevant and informative. I successfully passed the assessment and received my accreditation, which lasts for three years. Overall, I feel the course was really beneficial and has given me the skills to confidently help both adolescents and adults suffering from mental health disorders. The course has also allowed me to recognise early warning signs of people suffering from mental health issues, which is one of the biggest benefits of this fantastic course. Karen: As a staff member at Guildford Grammar Preparatory School I was offered a place on the Mental Health First Aid course run by Vicki Bellinge, our School Nurse. The Mental Health First Aid Course was delivered over four weeks, for three hours on a Tuesday night. The course covers many real life issues. I benefited a lot from the course and training as I have some people close to my heart who suffer from depression and bipolar disorder. I think early intervention and awareness are very important to be able to help someone if they are experiencing This essential course teaches adults how to provide initial support to young people who are developing a mental illness or experiencing a mental health crisis. Brett: Having two children in the Preparatory School, I felt this course was important to help prepare me for the coming years, especially in regards to warning signs to be on the lookout for. I found the course content very interesting, and information-rich. Vicki was a wonderful presenter with an experienced and engaging style, which helped to brin