Youth MHFA New Instructor Training - Christchurch

This five-day training course is for people who want to become accredited Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Aotearoa instructors. Te Pou, the sole licence holder of MHFA Aotearoa, runs this in-person course. Facilitated by two Youth MHFA trainers, the course will teach participants how to run Youth MHFA workshops and teach the Youth MHFA Aotearoa programme with fidelity to the core programme model and key messages.

Youth MHFA is an evidence-based education programme that teaches adults how to assist young people (aged 11 to 18 years) who are experiencing a mental health challenge or crisis.

Participants must pass an assessment by the MHFA trainers before they can be accredited as instructors. Once participants have completed the course and successfully passed the assessment, they will receive access to the Youth MHFA teaching materials to guide them through workshop facilitation.

The investment to attend the new instructor training course is NZ$3,650 plus GST per person.

I want to become a Youth MHFA instructor. How do I apply for the course?

Step one: Meet the eligibility criteria

All Youth MHFA instructors must show they have the skills and experience to successfully run Youth MHFA workshops. Applicants will need to show they have:

• good knowledge about mental health challenges and treatments
• good teaching and communication skills with adult learners
• good interpersonal skills
• empathy and compassion to people with mental health challenges
• personal and/or professional experience with young people with mental health challenges
• good background knowledge of mental health services in Aotearoa
• the passion and enthusiasm to deliver Youth MHFA workshops
• a good business plan or organisational support.

Step two: Review the instructor agreement

Upon completion of the new instructor course, all instructors must sign the MHFA Aotearoa instructor agreement. Before you apply to become a MHFA instructor, please review the sample instructor agreement and confirm that you are happy to agree to the requirements.

Step three: Complete and submit an Expression of Interest form

Te Pou is committed to ensuring Youth MHFA Aotearoa accredited instructors have the appropriate skills and experience to successfully deliver Youth MHFA workshops, along with ensuring there are accredited instructors available across the country. The applicant's suitability for the role will be assessed according to the responses given in your Expression of Interest.

Step four: MHFA team will be in touch

Once your Expression of Interest has been received and reviewed, along with your acceptance of the instructor agreement, the MHFA team will be in touch about your application.

Step five: Payment of course fee

If your application is accepted, you will need to pay the new instructor training course fee via our e-store. A payment link will be sent once your application has been accepted. Payment must be made before you can be registered for the course. You will not be able to attend training unless payment has been made.

What should I expect at the training course?

Day 1 and Day 2 (Monday and Tuesday: 8:30am to 4:30pm)

• Trainee instructors will participate in the new Youth MHFA workshop. This allows participants the opportunity to observe facilitation skills, how to teach activities, how to engage and monitor a room, and maintain safety.

Day 3 (Wednesday: 8:30am to 4:30pm)

• Facilitation skills and workshop content will be reviewed.
• Each trainee instructor will be given a section of the Youth MHFA workshop to review and teach over the next two days.

Day 4 and Day 5 (Thursday and Friday: 8:30am to 4:30pm)

• Trainee instructors will present the section of the Youth MHFA workshop they were allocated and will be assessed by the master instructors.
• We will be trying to get through as much of the Youth MHFA workshop as possible. This enables training instructors to be really familiar with the content of the course.