Youth Mental Health First Aid training has equipped key Cabra staff with tools to better support the students they work closely with every day.

Amalie Fiebiger and Melissa Munn were the first staff members to complete the training, which has now been completed by all Diverse Learning Education Support Officers. Amalie and Melissa completed the full, two day course, face-to-face at ShineSA, while other staff participated in a day of online modules, then a day of interaction with a facilitator from Wellbeing Systems via Teams.

Amalie says that the training will help them to better recognise warning signs of a variety of mental health issues and then encourage students to connect with the appropriate supports within the school and outside agencies.

“It will help us to assist students in accessing the support they might need.”

Melissa adds that the training helped to clearly define their role with students.

“We are now trained to recognise the signals and can be confident in our approach to guide students to appropriate supports. As we work closely with a variety of students and are often sought out as a trusted adult, we might see warning signs earlier and can recommend what they may need at that moment.”

In addition, the training provided guidance and ways to de-escalate situations that can arise in the classroom or school yard.

“At Cabra, we are lucky we can refer students straight to counsellors, or a deputy or a House Leader. Our students respond to someone they have a good relationship with and can trust.”

The training was facilitated by Mental Health First Aid Australia.