This project aims to roll-out the Teen Mental Health First Aid course to all students in Years 9 and 11 at West Wallsend High School in 2023.

Mental Health First Aid® (MHFA™) is an education program developed in Australia. The Teen Mental Health First Aid course is delivered to young people, with the aim of empowering young people to provide appropriate mental health first aid to their friends.

This practical, skills-based course equips young people with the skills and confidence needed to recognise and respond if someone they know experiences a mental health problem or crisis situation. By improving mental health literacy and reducing stigma, Teen Mental Health First Aid has the potential to help improve outcomes and help seeking behaviours for those affected by mental health problems.
Providing Mental Health First Aid training in schools helps whole school communities to:
Intervene early: recognise the warning signs of mental health problems
Provide skills: Provide the skills needed to speak to a young person about their mental health
Respond in a crisis: Respond in crisis situations where a young person may be at risk of harm 
Reduce stigma: Reduce stigma and increase support for people with mental health problems

An important aim of implementing Teen Mental Health First Aid is to boost mental health literacy, with the course providing students with a shared knowledge, understanding, language and skills to speak openly and accurately about mental health, which will reduce stigma, encourage help-seeking behaviours by students and lead to increased support for young people with mental health problems.  

The program will be delivered to Year 9 and 11 students throughout 2023, with delivery being integrated into Year 9 PDHPE lessons and the Life Ready program for senior students. This approach ensures that all students are exposed to this incredible learning opportunity and should provide a sustainable approach to the project.