Teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) Parent Engagement Application

St Joseph’s College is proud to be recognised as a Gold Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) skilled workplace by Mental Health First Aid Australia.  The opportunity to embed Teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) into our programs demonstrates our strong commitment to promoting a safe and inclusive environment where dignity, compassion and respect continue to be an important part of living out the Joey’s Way. The course equips our young people with the skills to recognise and respond to a peer who may be experiencing a mental health problem or crisis situation. As educators we often see young people turn to each other when they are stressed or upset. This program teaches students what a mental health crisis is and specific steps they should follow to help a peer in a crisis situation. The training also seeks to alleviate the stigma of mental health struggles and starts the conversation about mental health with our students by comparing it to physical health and really emphasises the similarities. tMHFA empowers students to take action and help a friend. It allows them to see that students experiencing mental health problems can get better and there are many adults who can help them. Since the training, we have noticed more students have been reporting concerns about their friends who are struggling, with students able to intervene early by recognising the warning signs of mental health problems. We believe tMHFA will have a significant impact on our learners, as we learn in community to reduce the stigma and increase support for people with mental health problems.  At St Joseph’s College, we are committed to developing the first aid skills of both our staff and students so that they can make a difference in someone’s life and Serve Him in Others.

St Joseph’s College recognises that education does not begin and end at the school gate; instead, we wish to explore an approach – with parents as facilitators of the Teen Mental Health First Aid program – where parents advocate the vision of the school and actively engage in its realisation. We invite you to apply for an opportunity to become an instructor in the tMHFA course to work alongside our staff and students to build a stronger community, together.

Please complete the attached application form by Monday 8 August 2022. If you have any questions please contact Mia Rennick (Marketing and Communications Officer) at St Joseph’s College via  mrennick@sjc.qld.edu.au or (07) 4631 8500