Free mental health training for rural communities and small businesses

Change Mental Health (CMH) has free funded mental health training places for rural individuals and rural small businesses.

The Rural Connections training aims to support businesses to implement and strengthen workplace wellbeing policies and activities.

CMH are working in partnership with Mental Health UK and Neptune Energy to deliver the Rural Connections project.

The project aims to improve mental health and wellbeing throughout rural Scotland by providing fully funded introductory mental health awareness training to rural organisations and businesses with less than 50 members of staff.

Rural Connections could be delivered in your location or where your client groups and/or staff or volunteers live or work. Although the official definition of ‘rural’ is a settlement of less than 3000 people, CMH are keen to take a flexible and inclusive approach to delivering the training to ensure maximum reach into rural communities.

Training your business and community members in mental health can help break down stigma and discrimination, build awareness, develop skills, and enhance confidence. With one in six workers experiencing mental health at any one time, the need for mental health awareness is huge.

Rural Connections takes place over a 4-hour session online through video conferencing. You can join an ‘Open Course’ which compromise of participants from a range of organisations and are a good way to access training if you only have a few members of staff.

The awareness sessions cover:

• What is mental health and mental illness
• An introduction to some common mental health conditions
• The benefits of managing stress
• A four-step process to building safe and supportive conversations
• How to look after your own mental health and wellbeing.

You can find full details including how to apply for training at the link here 

You and find out more about CMH and their approach to support here