Training and events
Mental Health First Aid Youth (2 day) course
After a period of not having our Mental Health First Aid Youth (2 day) course available we are now looking into arranging for new sessions to be delivered.
Please see details below about what Mental Health First Aid Youth is:
Would you know how to help?
- 1 in 5 children and young people aged 8 to 25 had a probable mental health condition in 2023 – an increase from 1 in 9 in 2017
- In 2024, the number of referrals to mental health services increased to 120,000 a month, compared to around 40,000 a month in 2016
Academic pressures, social media, bullying, poverty, inequality, and the lack of timely professional mental health support available are all contributing factors.
It’s clear that young people are not getting the support they need. Key figures in a young person’s life – including parents, guardians, carers, teachers, and youth workers – can often spot when a young person is struggling but may not know how best to help.
Learn to support young people
Our Youth Mental Health First Aid courses are for anyone who lives with, works with, or supports young people aged 8 to 18.
We train the adults in a young person’s life to have the skills and confidence to identify poor mental health and provide first-level support where it’s needed. In doing so, they can speed up a young person’s recovery, prevent their mental health from deteriorating, and ultimately save lives.
What’s more, by giving learners the tools to look after their own mental health, we can set a positive example for young people. We need to show that mental health should be treated equally to physical health, and that it’s okay to talk about it and to ask for help.
Together we can create mentally healthy, supportive environments in schools, colleges, youth groups, communities, and families.
2026 delivery:
If you are interested in attending this course, could you please complete the this questionnaire with your details and we will contact you once the course becomes available.
Please note this course requires a minimum number of attendees to run, so we can only deliver it if we have enough interest.
If you are unable to attend the two day course, there is currently a 1 day course being offered here.
Free online training
FutureLearn partners with top international universities and industry experts to offer free online courses.
The courses below are free to access, however to gain a certificate of achievement there is a cost, either per course or as an annual subscription.
1. Psychological First Aid training (PHE)
The course will explore the techniques of psychological first aid (PFA), the globally recommended training for supporting people during emergencies. You’ll focus on children and young people’s mental health, and what you can do to help them cope and access the support they need during and after emergencies and crisis situations, and will cover:
- What is Psychological First Aid?
- How do children and young people respond to emergencies and crisis situations?
- The PFA stages to supporting people: Prepare, Look, Listen, Link
- Supporting yourself and your colleagues
Course duration: 3 weeks, 1 hour a week
More information and how to sign up for Psychological First Aid training
2. Mindfulness: A Focus on Adolescents (University of Glasgow)
In this course you’ll get practical illustrations of how mindfulness can be of particular value in the lives of everyone, and younger people in particular. a hands-on introduction to mindfulness and its benefits, the training will cover:
- The application and evidence base for mindfulness in education settings
- Case studies of young people who have used mindfulness, and how it helped them
- Basic introduction to simple mindfulness techniques
- The role of mindfulness in helping with anxiety, focus, exam stress, compassion and improving wellbeing
Course duration: 4 weeks, 4 hours per week
More information and how to sign up for Mindfulness: A Focus on Adolescents
3. Youth Mental Health: Helping Young People with Anxiety (University of East Anglia)
An introduction to managing anxiety disorders in teenagers, with a course ideal for teachers and healthcare professionals.
Anxiety is a common condition experienced by young people that can escalate to a point where it impacts on their general wellbeing and activities of daily living; brain development and performance at school or college. If untreated the risk of developing chronic and enduring mental health conditions increases, as well as the risks of deliberate self-harm and suicide.
On this course you will learn how to identify anxiety disorders experienced by young people, understand ‘stigma’ related to mental health and develop your ability to help a young person experiencing debilitating anxiety
- Week 1: Introduction to course and characteristics and causes of adolescent anxiety
- Week 2: Anxiety as a biopsychosocial condition
- Week 3: Assisting a young person experiencing abnormal anxiety states
Course duration: 3 weeks, 3 hours per week
More information and how to sign up for Youth Mental Health: Helping Young People with Anxiety
4. #AskTheAwkward (The National Crime Agency)
Being online is an important part of how young people ‘do’ relationships. Young people are using online spaces for their social and romantic lives. They told us that they would like their parents and carers to talk with them more about this. We know that these topics aren’t always easy to talk about, so #AskTheAwkward has been created to help you to explore online relationships with your secondary aged children, making these conversations part of everyday life.
A parent and carers introduction to Asking The Awkward
Unsure where to start? Our introduction to Asking The Awkward helps you to prepare for regular conversations with your child about online relationships and related topics. It also offers advice on how to keep conversations positive and what to do if your child tells you something that worries you.
Download A parent and carers introduction to Asking The Awkward here.
5. COVID-19: Helping Young People Manage Low Mood and Depression (University of Reading)
Learn how young people can manage low mood and depression during COVID-19.
On this course, young people, parents, carers, teachers, and other professionals can learn helpful, practical techniques to cope with low mood and depression during the lockdown period and beyond. You’ll examine how to help young people structure their day and improve sleep and diet.
You’ll explore how to build positive family communication, and learn tips on how to manage your thoughts and feelings, building long-lasting resilience along the way.
- Week 1: Structure, healthy habits, modelling and self-care
- Week 2: Managing difficult thoughts and feelings, getting along and resilience
Course duration: 2 weeks, 2 hours per week
6. Anxiety in Children and Young People during COVID-19 (University of East Anglia)
The impact of coronavirus can be seen on every facet of our society. One of the key challenges of these unprecedented times is the heightened risks caused by anxiety, especially in younger people.
On this course, you’ll learn what anxiety is and how to support young people suffering from anxiety in the time of coronavirus.
With mental health professionals at the University of East Anglia and partnering mental health organisations, you’ll discover triggers and signs of anxiety to look out for. You’ll also discover practical solutions for helping the young people in your life, and where to find additional help. The training will cover:
- Impact of COVID 19 on mental health/anxiety in young people
- What is anxiety and its causes
- Importance of support
- Guidance for parents
- Spotting symptoms
- Advice/treatment and support
Course duration: 2 weeks, 2 hours per week
More information and how to sign up for Anxiety in Children and Young People during COVID-19
7. The PEP TALK Guide to Supporting Young People's Mental Health (Mental Health Foundation)
This course will teach you different ways you can support young people who have experienced trauma, focusing on the youth mental wellbeing resource PEP TALK.
Developed alongside professionals at the Mental Health Foundation, PEP TALK was initially used to support young people returning from COVID-19 lockdown. The resource can also be used as a framework to help you support young people going through a period of stress or trauma.
Course duration: 2 weeks, 1 hour per week