Giving First Aid to burns, cuts and broken arms is something most people are familiar with, but a course to be run on an ongoing basis at the Anglican Youthworks College is taking the same approach to our mental health.
Gail Kilby, chair of Sutherland Suicide Safety Network and Chaplain with Wesley Mission as instructor first ran the course at the college as a one-off earlier this year but now there a plans to make it a regular event.
Kerrie Newmarch, who teaches Christian education and Pastoral Skills at the College says that the Mental Health First Aid program developed at the Australian National University, fitted in "very nicely" with her courses. Just like conventional First Aid, it equips people to help those suffering a mental health problem before professional help is obtained.
"It isn't an easy workshop to do," says Ms Newmarch. "But it's lifechanging. Mental health is something that historically people have been a bit afraid of, and the church in general hasn't talked about it. I think now we're on the way to creating safe communities for people to work through these issues."
Mel Hanger, a second-year student from St. Philip's, Caringbah, says that the course is a "really good first step." "There's been an increase in mental health issues across all age groups," she says. "The course is all about how you can actively help somebody, particularly when they're in a situation that's most harmful for them."
She recommends the course to anyone ministering to people. "Even in something where you're not getting paid, you just never know who you're going to come across suffering mental illness. It's good to have that understanding."
Matt Graham, a youth and children's pastor at St Philip's, South Turramurra, graduated from the college last year but returned to take the course. For him, it took a lot of the guesswork out of caring for people with mental illness. "It's helped me realise that I'm often not the person best placed to help," he says. "Sometimes it's better to refer someone to a professional counsellor and walk alongside them."
"One great thing the course encourages is not to get freaked out by mental illness: it's just like a broken arm, but in the head. Like any other illness, it takes time to fix."
Ms Newmarch insists that the course isn't just for those working with youth and children. "Because the gospel is for all people, we need to be able to care for people suffering mental illness."
For information about conducting a Mental Health First Aid Course, contact Gail Kilby at kilbys@bilbys.biz, or go to the Mental Health First Aid website
