Golden Plains Shire Council is offering in-person mental health first aid training for eligible community members, with Expressions of Interest (EOI) now open for those who want to earn their mental health first aid accreditation.
Participants will acquire skills to assist individuals experiencing mental health problems or crises, whether they are friends, family members or community members. This course is adaptable to various settings and specifically designed for community delivery.
Conducted by Digging Deeper, the course requires a subsidised fee of $25 for participants. The program consists of two mandatory components:
- A self-paced interactive eLearning module (up to 7 hours – to be completed prior to the group session)
- Face-to-face group session (5 hours)
The face-to-face group session will be held in the Council Chambers at the Golden Plains Civic Centre, 2 Pope Street, Bannockburn on Monday 23 October from 9am to 3pm with a 1-hour break for lunch at 11.30am.
There will also be an optional 10-minute online session held prior to the training on Wednesday 11 October at 7pm to discuss the first component. Participants are encouraged to attend this session to gain a better understanding of what the course will entail.
Mayor Cr Brett Cunningham encouraged eligible community members to submit their EOI and earn their accreditation.
“This mental health first aid training course empowers participants with the skills to assist friends, family members or community members who may be grappling with a mental health crisis,” Cr Cunningham said.
“The skills learnt in the course are versatile and can be applied in various settings, with a focus on community–based delivery,” he said.
“Knowing how to provide support to someone developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis is very important and I encourage all residents wanting to gain accreditation in this area to participate in this program.”
Priority for this community-based training will be given to participants with strong community connections, such as volunteers, coaches, community coordinators and teachers.
EOIs are open from Monday 11 September until 5pm, Monday 9 October, 2023. To submit an EOI, complete the online form at goldenplains.vic.gov.au/mentalhealthfirstaid or collect a hard copy from Council’s Customer Hubs, Golden Plains Civic Centre, 2 Pope Street, Bannockburn and The Well, 19 Heales Street, Smythesdale.
Spaces are limited and successful applicants will be notified. If demand exceeds availability, a waiting list will be created and future course opportunities will be explored.
For further information, contact Council’s Health Promotion Officer on [email protected] or call 5220 7111.