Currently both virtual (online interactive) and face-to-face training of the mental health first aid (MHFA) training courses will be available.
Training places can fill up quickly. Derby City Council want to ensure a spread of mental health first aiders across the city. Courses and the number of places offered may sometimes be targeted or restricted by Derby City Council. However, all courses form part of rolling programmes with new dates being released on an ongoing regular basis.
Course dates are published as they become available. As certain aspects of the core content of the adult and youth mental health first aid courses are similar, and there's potentially a high demand for places, we can only offer you a place on either the adult or youth course. Please choose the course which is most relevant to you.
Who can attend Derby City Council mental health first aid training for free?
Derby City Council training is currently open and free to anyone who lives or works in Derby, and is interested in having more confident conversations with family, friends, neighbours or colleagues about mental health.
Free mental health training is also available to certain organisations (subject to criteria) working with Derbyshire county residents.
Derby City Council staff
The adult mental health first aid and mental health awareness courses on this page are not available to Derby City Council staff. However, they can access in-house mental health training courses. Contact Kirsty Bentham, email kirsty.bentham@derby.gov.uk.
Which course is right for you?
Mental health awareness is for anyone who wants to know more about mental health.
Mental health first aid youth is for people who are likely to be in contact with vulnerable young people.
Mental health first aid adult is for people who are likely to be in contact with vulnerable adults.
Mental health first aid refresher is for people who completed an adult or youth mental health first aid course more than 3 years ago.
How to book a free place
To book a free place on a Derby City Council mental health first aid course please follow the booking links for each course.
If a place is available you will receive an email in due course from the training provider DACES with joining instructions, including a link for you to register with MHFA England.
DACES are delivering the training but you must also register with MHFA England via the link to access a training place and for the course resources to be sent to you.
For queries related to Derby City MHFA courses please email kirsty.bentham@derby.gov.uk.
Mental health first aid - adult
This training course teaches you how to identify, understand and help someone who may be experiencing a mental health issue. It's suitable for individuals who may be in contact with adults who may have emotional distress, be at higher risk of mental health difficulties, and who have experience of mental health problems.
Mental health first aid - adult course delivery
This course is delivered as both a face-to-face and virtual (online interactive) course.
The face-to-face course is 2 days long. The virtual course is delivered over 4 shorter sessions on different days.
Virtual mental health first aid - adult course dates
The deadline for booking onto the following course is 13 December 2024:
- 2 live sessions: 6 January 2025 (all day) and 9 January 2025 (all day) - fully booked
The deadline for booking onto the following course is 10 January 2025:
Face-to-face mental health first aid - adult course dates
No dates are currently available.
Mental health first aid - youth
This course teaches the skills and confidence to help spot the signs of mental health issues in a young person, offer first aid and guide them towards the support they need.
Mental health first aid youth courses are for individuals who work with or support young people aged 8 to 18.
Mental health first aid - youth course delivery
This course is delivered as both a face-to-face and virtual (online interactive) course. The face-to-face course is 2 days long. The virtual course is delivered over 4 shorter sessions on different days with self-learning required prior to its start and in-between each session.
Learning takes place across 4 topics:
- youth mental health first aid
- depression and anxiety
- suicide and psychosis
- self-harm and eating disorders
Virtual mental health first aid - youth course dates
Each virtual course comprises 2 or 4 live sessions and self-learning. All sessions need to be attended to complete the course.
No dates are currently available.
Face-to-face mental health first aid - youth course dates
Each face-to-face course comprises 2 or 4 face-to-face sessions and self-learning. All sessions need to be attended to complete the course.
No dates are currently available.
Mental health first aid refresher course
This 4-hour course is designed to refresh your knowledge and confidence as an adult mental health first aider who has completed the adult MHFA course 3 or more years ago. However, anyone who has completed the youth MHFA course 3 or more years ago is also welcome to attend. Participants must be over 18 to attend our refresher course.
Virtual mental health first aid refresher course dates
The deadline for booking onto the following course 21 January 2024:
Face-to-face mental health first aid refresher course dates
No dates are currently available.
Mental health awareness
This is a half-day course designed to increase skills and confidence. It gives participants a general awareness and understanding of mental health, including addressing stigma, and an overview of resources and services.
The course is suitable for people who want general mental health awareness or as an introduction to the topic of mental health. Both virtual (online interactive) versions and face-to-face training at venues of the mental health awareness training courses will be available.
Face-to-face training at venues will be subject to an assessment of the COVID-19 situation, both locally and nationally at time of delivery.
Virtual mental health awareness course dates
The deadline for booking onto the following course 10 January 2025:
Face-to-face mental health awareness course dates
No dates are currently available.
Suicide bereavement training
Free places are also available on suicide bereavement training to staff and volunteers from statutory, community and voluntary sector organisations, working in both Derby and the rest of Derbyshire.
Purchasing training
Organisations (within and from outside of Derbyshire) that do not meet criteria for free training can buy 'adult mental health first aid' and 'mental health first aid youth' individual places or whole 'ringfenced' courses from us. Both adult and youth virtual (online interactive) courses and face-to-face courses are available to purchase as they become available.
We're happy to discuss dates and delivery arrangements that are convenient to you. For further information and cost per person or per course, please email asch.mental.health.training@derbyshire.gov.uk