ECL staff attends Mental Health First Aid for Deaf people course

“I wanted to become a mental health first aider because I had noticed that the numbers of deaf people committing suicide were on the rise, and I wanted to be able to recognise when people were struggling and help them.

“Knowing the signs of mental health issues can literally save lives. The knowledge I have gained by attending the Mental Health First Aid for Deaf People course will give me the tools to identify when someone is struggling, act quickly and help them.

“This training is invaluable in my role as Technical Officer for Deaf and Deafblind People. I now have the confidence to recognise the warning signs and know the best way to manage specific situations. I have more resources in my armoury in terms of where I can go to get help for my customers that may need mental health support.

“I am now not only able to help customers but also my colleagues, family, and friends that may be struggling. The course also highlighted the importance of looking after our own wellbeing as care professionals and provided some useful stress management techniques which were really valuable.

“While the course was attended by both deaf and hearing people, it was designed specifically for those with hearing disabilities offering both subtitles and BSL which was really great. Tailored training like this is much more beneficial to me as someone with a hearing disability than simply attending a course with a BSL interpreter, as sometimes the content and ‘jargon’ used by the trainer doesn’t always translate well into BSL. This can make the course content hard to take in which means you don’t always get the most out of it.”