Organised by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation’s Safe and Well team, the sessions provided an opportunity for the group to gain the skills and knowledge to recognise and respond to a variety of mental health scenarios.
Senior Communications Officer in the Corporate Communications team Athanae Lucev said the sessions were extremely informative and provided an important reminder to look out for one another at work.
“Mental health can play a big role in how we present at work, and being able to identify when a colleague needs support and assist them to find professional help or support services can make a big difference,” she said.
"In the past there has certainly been stigma around the discussion of mental health at work, but it’s good to see that is changing, and that workplaces are embracing supporting a safe work environment.”
Mental Health First Aid Australia is the leading provider of mental health first aid training, and the department first offered the course in November 2023, as part of an internal wellbeing strategy.
With one in five Australians experiencing a mental health problem in any given year most workplaces are likely to have staff who will require assistance.
“The training provided useful resources to assist us identify an opportunity to help someone that may be dealing with a difficult situation. I recommend anyone who is interested in learning more about mental health to take the opportunity to look into Mental Health First Aid training,” Athanae added.
As well as equipping attendees with the skills and confidence to recognise and respond to a co-worker, friend or family member facing a mental health problem, the course was practical and skills-based, with concrete strategies and plenty of opportunity for discussion and peer-to-peer learning too.
The department will be holding more sessions for employees in the future.
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