As part of NCM’s commitment to ensuring the wellbeing of their team, Chief Executive Kathleen McLeay and Senior Fund Services Executive Tom Cook recently undertook mental health first aid training with St Andrew’s First Aid. We decided to undertake the training because, as a Board and Senior Management team, we wanted to demonstrate the importance of supporting our team through any mental health issues they may be facing.
St Andrew’s First Aid was founded in Glasgow in 1882 and is Scotland’s dedicated first aid charity and leading first aid training provider. Their mission is to create a nation of life-savers because they believe no one should suffer because they needed first aid and didn’t get it. The mental health first aid training teaches people to:
- Recognise, prevent and deal with mental health conditions
- Understand the reasons behind mental health problems
- Build resilience, to be able to talk openly about mental health
Kathleen and Tom were given lots of resources to use including a booklet containing various organisations to contact if any help is required in relation to a wide variety of mental health areas. They felt the most important lesson was being reminded of various signs to look out for and also how to try and engage in open conversations to be able to signpost someone to appropriate help.
Everyone has mental health. It is important we all know that and no stigma attached to those times when that aspect of our health isn’t at its best. We all have periods when things are tough and take more of a toll. We wouldn’t leave a weeping wound or broken bone so just as important we treat our mental health in the same way and seek appropriate support.