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Wellsprings for Women has won ‘gold’ accreditation for mental health first aid skills.
The Dandenong service provider achieved a Gold Mental Health First Aid Skilled Workplace from the Mental Health First Aid Foundation.
Chief executive Dalal Smiley said it recognised the “significant achievements in developing Mental Health First Aid skills in our staff and volunteers”.
In 2020, Wellsprings’ two qualified MHFA instructors held 14 training sessions for 156 people.
Other workplace training at Wellsprings includes a self-paced online course for tutors on trauma-informed adult education and a free self-care course.
Wellsprings has also helped Monash Health set up a pilot model peer-support MHFA program in the South East.
It is also working with other agencies to help produce culturally-appropriate MHFA in African communities and runs a number of programs promoting wellbeing.
Ms Smiley noted that the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health recently recommended that all levels of government, service providers, the workforce and the community must work together.
“We feel we have a significant role to play in implementing Recommendation 6: Helping people find and access treatment, care and support which is why we offer the MHFA program.
“Through the expansion of our mental health programs and supports, we can meet this, as well as helping to educate the community and fight the stigma surrounding mental health issues.”
