I get asked this a lot, usually by an HR manager who has been told to “sort out mental health training” and is looking at a page full of course names. The names do not help much. So here is the difference in plain terms, and how to decide.
The short answer
Awareness training is for everyone. It helps your whole team notice when a colleague is struggling, and know where to go and who to talk to inside your organisation. Mental health first aid training is for a smaller group of people who will be the ones colleagues turn to.
Most organisations benefit from both, in that order.
This article is part of our Workplace Mental Health Training Guide for UK employers.
What awareness training covers
Awareness training gives a whole team a shared understanding of mental health at work. It is not about turning everyone into a helper, and it is not about turning anyone into a therapist.
The signs that someone is struggling are often very similar, and they are easy to miss. So good awareness training does not stop at “this is anxiety, this is depression”. It helps people notice when a colleague does not seem themselves, and then know what to do with what they have noticed:
- Where to go inside your organisation, and who they can talk to.
- What support is already in place, for the colleague and for themselves.
- What your policies and procedures say.
- What their own responsibilities are.
Awareness training without the systems behind it is like throwing it into an echo chamber. People leave knowing the signs, go back to their desks, and three months later most of it is gone.
Our awareness course is Level 1 Mental Health Awareness in the Workplace: a half day, accredited, for groups of up to 16, and we connect it to how your organisation actually works. Every course is led by a practising therapist, not a trainer reading from slides.
What mental health first aid training covers
Mental health first aid training goes further, for fewer people. It is for the colleagues others naturally turn to, or the people you want to be available when someone is struggling.
They are not trained to diagnose. They are trained to have the conversation, and to know exactly where to take it next inside your organisation.
- Recognising the signs that someone may be struggling.
- Starting a conversation, and listening without trying to fix things.
- Responding when someone discloses something serious, including thoughts of suicide.
- Guiding the person towards the right support, and knowing where your role ends.
Our first aider course is Level 2 Managing Mental Health Awareness in the Workplace, a one day accredited course. For leaders and the people who support your first aiders, Level 3 Advanced Leadership in Workplace Mental Health runs over two days.
Which does your team need?
Start with the problem you are trying to solve.
- People do not talk about mental health. Start with awareness training for everyone. Trained first aiders cannot help if nobody feels able to approach them.
- People are struggling and nobody knows what to do. Train a group of first aiders, spread across teams, sites and shifts, so help is always within reach.
- Managers are unsure of their role. Managers need training that connects mental health to your policies and employment law. See our training for managers.
- You want a lasting culture. Awareness for everyone, first aiders in every team, and leaders trained to support them.
If you are not sure how many first aiders you need, How Many Mental Health First Aiders Does Your Organisation Need? has a practical starting point.
A common mistake to avoid
Training on its own is not a plan. People need to know who the first aiders are, and feel able to go to them.
The mistake I see most is training a handful of first aiders and stopping there. The certificates go on the wall, but the rest of the organisation does not know who the first aiders are or why they would talk to them. I have written more about this in The Mental Health First Aid Tick Box Problem. Awareness training for everyone is often what makes first aider training work, because it gives people permission to use it.
Once you know you need training, the next question is usually which level. We have written a separate guide on that: Level 1, 2 or 3: which mental health course is right for your team?
Common questions
Is mental health first aid training a legal requirement?
No. UK law does not require employers to train mental health first aiders. The HSE does expect employers to think about mental health when they assess their first aid needs, and awareness training is one of the simplest ways to show you have.
Can we start with awareness training and add first aiders later?
Yes, and it often works well that way. Awareness training gives everyone the same basic understanding, which makes it easier for trained first aiders to do their job later.
How long does each course take?
Our awareness course is a half day. Our first aider course is one day, and our leadership course is two days.
Do managers need something different?
Usually, yes. Managers need to connect mental health to their own responsibilities, your policies and employment law, which is why we also run training built specifically for managers.
Get the mix right for your team
Every organisation is different, and the right mix depends on your size, your sites and what is going on for your people. Book a free call and we will help you work out what makes sense. You can also see all our workplace mental health training.