The length of time a course of mental health training lasts can play a large part in deciding whether a course is going to be effective enough for your team or not.
Half-Day Awareness Sessions
Half-Day Awareness Sessions. These are three to four hours long and provide a basic introduction to mental health, covering the sort of ground that allows participants to recognise signs of distress and support their colleagues accordingly. Note, though, that they don’t result in any qualification being issued.
Full-Day Courses
The Full-Day Course. Typically lasting between six and seven hours, this training gives delegates ample opportunity to engage in skills training, in addition to gaining knowledge on a range of topics. Participants typically look at a range of issues including stress, anxiety and depression, as well as how to signpost colleagues to relevant support. Training of this nature is typically suitable for team leaders or other individuals within an organisation who may be the first point of contact for colleagues.
Multi-Day Qualifications
Mental Health First Aid training for example is a 2 day course, and this is stated in Mental Health First Aid England’s qualification framework. This length of time allows for the proper development of skills and knowledge in order to achieve an accredited status. For Mental Health Training Courses Blackpool, see //www.tidaltraining.co.uk/mental-health-training-courses/blackpool/.
Refresher Courses
Training needs to be refreshed every 3 years or so and this is usually provided as a half day refresher of core skills, that does not go back over the whole program.
What Affects the Length
These factors affect the duration of a course, e.g. the number of participants, online or face-to-face training and the requested accreditations. Large groups of participants for example require more time for discussion and for practising skills.
Choosing the Right Length for Your Team
Length of the training equals length of the team’s commitment to the training.
