Last month, Mental Health First Aid Instructor Harry Corin led a two-day training course with Team Lucky Saint. The course accredited by MHFA England teaches people how to identify, understand and help someone experiencing a mental health issue. Nine members of the Lucky Saint team enrolled, and our National Account Manager, Will Snowden, reflects on his experience below.
"Last month the whole company was invited to sign up for a two-day mental health first aid course. In all honesty, it wasn't something I'd come across before, but I was intrigued. I signed up, not knowing what to expect. But after completing the course, I would 100% recommend it to everybody.
The course recommends that 10% of every business enrol, but amazingly 40% of the Lucky Saint team signed up, including Luke and Emma (our founder and MD, respectively). The incredible Harry Corin delivered the course and did so in a knowledgeable and approachable manner. He put us all at ease and discussed some hard-hitting issues in such an impressive fashion.
The course was a deep dive into mental health and the various ways it can affect us all. It was eye-opening, and interestingly everyone on the course had their own story or experience around mental health, whether it was personal to them or someone close to them. It bought those of us on the course together, and I finished the course proud to work for a company with such kind, compassionate people.
Image courtesy of Harry Corin
The key learning for me was that we should view our mental health the same way we do our physical health. Most of us spend time trying to improve our physical health, whether that being trying to choose a salad over a burger at lunch, or putting on our trainers and getting out for a walk or run, but I'm not sure we all look at our mental health and think there are things we can do to strengthen this. Like any muscle, the more we do to keep it in good shape, the more we increase our chance of avoiding injury - we must not neglect our mental health.
Most importantly, almost half of the Lucky Saint team is now trained to spot signs of mental health issues in the workplace. And what we need to do to offer support to any colleagues that may need help with whatever they're dealing with.
Lucky Saint truly is a company where the staff and our wellbeing comes first. It starts at the top with our leaders being at the forefront of checking in with everyone in weekly one-to-one's, and I'm sure everyone's mental health will continue to be a priority as we grow as a company."
FOR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, VISIT CALM.