Shelley Collins-Trevett, a Programme Delivery Manager at Dorset Growth Hub, part of WSX Enterprise Ltd, has become the company’s first Mental Health First Aider (MHFA).
MHFAs are, relatively speaking, the ‘new kids on the block’ with huge numbers of businesses now investing in their own MHFA. Businesses are required to have an appointed person for First Aid arrangements with many opting to train internally. It is common practice for a company to train several staff as First Aiders to be able to deal with any health and safety issues that arise in the workplace.
As a forward-thinking organisation, which recognises the importance of putting their staff first so they can carry out their roles effectively, WSX Enterprise thought it was important to have someone in this position. Shelley, who has seven years of welfare to work and adult education experience was ideally placed. She stresses the importance that this role will bring to the company;
“As an organisation, we took the decision to become primarily home-based before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Although this meant a smoother transition when the work-from-home directive came in, it did mean that some felt the loss of socialisation in the workplace. With mental health issues in the workplace rising, plus the impact of the pandemic with working from home and less face-to-face contact with team members, it is increasingly important to offer help and support to any members of staff who may be experiencing issues with their mental health.”
Shelley recently attended a two-day course with Amanda Whitlock, an accredited MHFA (England) trainer from Total Wellbeing Matters and became the first MHFA within WSX Enterprise Ltd.
By completing the course, Shelley has become part of a worldwide community of three million people who are trained to recognise when someone’s struggling with their mental health and help people to find the support they need. MHFA’s (England) intention is to increase mental health knowledge and confidence and provide course attendees with the skills to recognise signs of mental ill-health. With the economic cost of mental ill-health at an estimated £99 billion annually and 1 in 4 people experiencing a mental health issue in any given year, it is important to offer support to staff and thereby reduce the impact on businesses. The comprehensive two-day course covers key legislation and policies on mental health as well as looking in more detail at:
- depression
- suicide
- substance misuse
- anxiety disorders
- self-harm
- eating disorder
- personality disorders
- psychosis
Shelley is now on hand so that if any member of staff has concerns about their own mental wellbeing or that of team members or colleagues, she can be contacted for a confidential discussion about how best to help.
WSX Enterprise LTD
A non-profit organisation WSX Enterprise runs a wide range of projects delivering business support across the South of England as well as working with partners in Europe. As some examples, our projects support access to finance, digital skills, start-up guidance, and general business advice. Our team includes a wide range of business advisors from a breadth of industry experience supporting small and medium-sized businesses across our region.
