Mental Health

Our mental health is unique to us. Just as different things can make us laugh or cry, aspects of life can affect us in different ways too.
Training helps us to understand:
- the emotions and challenges for someone experiencing mental health difficulties
- the different presentations and behaviours that may be displayed
- how we can misunderstand how distress can be presented
Most importantly, training will help you to know what you can do to support someone.
Our training programmes aren’t just about new knowledge but also to confirm and build on staff’s current knowledge and skills.
As well as the nationally recognised mental health courses such as MHFA and KUF awareness, we have a range of courses that can be tailored to your organisational needs. Read more details about each course below.
Knowledge and Understanding Framework (KUF) Awareness
The Knowledge and Understanding Framework (KUF) was created as a joint commission by the Ministry of Justice and the NHS England, to create training that targeted the workforce development of those who work with people living with a diagnosis of personality disorders or display personality difficulties. Personality disorders.
Windmill Training are the Kent, Surrey & Sussex regional providers of the funded 2-day OPD KUF course, for those working in a criminal justice setting.
Course focus
This KUF course covers knowledge, theory and helpful practical skills the following areas;
- defining personality disorders
- the impact of stigma
- the impact of early life experience
- understanding client responses
- organisational support
- self-care
- biopsychosocial model
- case formulation
- emotional containment
- dealing with interpersonal dynamics
- thinking spaces
Course delivery
- 2 full days separated by 2 weeks*
Courses are currently being delivered online.
*This can be negotiated.
Course structure
Each course has a mixture of slides, practical activities, group work and reflection time.
Number of participants
- Virtual training: 12
An advisable minimum number of participants is 8
Supportive documents
Participants on the KUF course, has access to the VLE for 1-year after the training. The VLE content supports the learning from the facilitated training days and has further useful resources linking to each module.
Certification
After full course completion participants will be awarded a downloadable KUF awareness certificate.
Who is KUF suitable for?
- 2-Day OPD KUF
The 2-day KUF was created for those who work primarily with offenders. This would include prison and probation officers, forensic staff and supporting staff such as some charity workers who also work with offenders.
- If you are interested in this course or not sure if you qualify for the funded places, do contact us on the button below.
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)
The goal of the MHFA training is to provide Mental Health First Aiders, who can use practical steps to support someone in mental health distress and promote wellbeing.
Mental Health First Aid is an international course, with UK courses being licensed by Mental Health First Aid England. Windmill Training works with a variety of approved trainers and offers 3 MHFA courses to organisations
- Adult MHFA
- Youth MHFA
- Youth Champion MHFA
Successful completion of the Adult and Youth MHFA courses qualifies staff as Mental Health First Aiders.
Course focus
All MHFA courses cover knowledge and helpful practical skills the following areas;
- defining mental health
- the impact of stigma
- depression
- anxiety
- self-harm
- suicidality
- psychosis*
- recovery
- self-care
Extra areas are covered in specific courses
Adult MHFA
- first aid after traumatic event
- personality disorders introduction
- eating-disorders
- cognitive behavioural therapy introduction
- listening skills
Youth MHFA
- eating disorders*
- listening skills
- resilience for young people
*briefly in MHFA Youth Champion training
Course delivery
The Adult and Youth MHFA courses are each 2-days long which can be delivered on two consecutive days; one day each week or over four 1/2 day sessions.
The Youth Champion course is 1-day training best delivered in one day. Courses can also be delivered online.
Course structure
Each course has a mixture of slides, practical activities, group work and reflection time.
Number of participants
- Adult MHFA: minimum 6/maximum 16**
- Youth MHFA: minimum 8/maximum 16**
- Youth MHFA Champion: minimum 6/maximum 16**
** maximum number for online courses is 12
Supportive documents
All MHFA courses are supported by a manual and workbook from MHFA England.
Certification
After full course completion participants will be awarded a downloadable MHFA certificate of either a Mental Health First Aider (2-day courses) or Mental Health Youth Champion (1-day course).
Who is MHFA suitable for?
- Adult MHFA
This is a two-day course for those who work with adults, or support people in the community or at home. Open to staff from all industries from, supportive healthcare to construction.
- Youth MHFA
This is also a two-day course with the focus on young people aged 8-24 (although we have worked with those involved in nursery care). Especially suitable for educators, youth workers (including coaches) and parents.
- Youth MHFA Champion
This is a one-day course ideal for those organisations, working with young people, who may have a more organisational supportive role e.g. administration, teaching assistants or domestic staff. The Youth MHFA champion can be a key assist to Mental Heath First Aiders.
Mental Health Awareness
This one day Mental Health Awareness course originally developed to train NHS staff working at the 111 service, is an introduction course covering key aspects of mental health illness, supportive approaches and signposting.
The knowledge is a sound base for effective decision making on proactive steps that can be used to enable supportive measures to clients or staff.
Course focus
- The impact of stress
- Stress and anxiety
- Types of depression
- What is psychosis?
- Helpful strategies
- Signposting options
Course delivery
This is a full one day course delivered face to face or to staff teams online.
Course structure
Each course has a mixture of slides, practical activities, and group work.
Number of participants
Minimum 6: maximum 18*
* maximum number for online courses is 12
Supportive documents
Handouts will be provided of useful information.
Certification
After full course completion participants will be awarded a participants certificate.
Who is Mental Health Awareness suitable for?
- Mental Health Awareness
This is a one-day course suitable for all organisations to develop an understanding of clients or colleagues mental health difficulties.
Advancing Mental Health Awareness
Mental Health literacy and understanding has increased in the last 10 years, with organisations in all industries providing Mental Health Awareness training for their staff.
Advancing Mental Health Awareness was originally designed for skilled and new staff, working in a range of residential units, supporting ex-offenders who have a variety of mental health conditions including dual diagnosis. They required something more than basic awareness, that would provide a practical element in how they could work with, and understand their clients’ needs. This course is verified by the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) service.
Course focus
- Common Mental Health Disorders
- Psychosis and its presentations
- Substances and Addiction
- How the brain is impacted by different disorders
- Supporting dual diagnosis
- Implementing the NICE guidance for Mental Health Conditions
- How psychosocial strategies support clients
- Putting skills into practice through case studies
Course structure
The course consists of group work, videos, case-studies and exercises to enhance the skills and understanding of the course content.
Course delivery
This is a full one-day course delivered in-house or online.
Number of participants
Minimum 6: maximum 20*
* maximum number for online courses is 12
Supportive documents
A work book is supplied for reference.
Certification
After full course completion participants will be awarded a CPD verified certificate.
Who is Advancing Mental Health suitable for?
- This one-day course is suited to those working directly and consistently with clients with mental health diagnosis. Previous basic mental health knowledge is beneficial but not compulsory.
Self-harm Workshop
Self-harming behaviour can be a difficult concept to understand. Our workshop demystifies why some people engage in self-harm and explains key measures when supporting someone who is self-harms.
Course focus
This course aims understanding of;
- types of self-harm
- signs of self-harm
- neurological, physical and emotional reactions
- disclosure & Duty of Care
- what to say
Course structure
This is a half-day workshop that can be targeted for those working with adults or young people.
Course delivery
This is a two-hour workshop delivered in-house or online.
Number of participants
Minimum 6: maximum 18*
* maximum number for online courses is 12
Supportive documents
Relevant handouts are provided.
Certification
After full course completion participants will be awarded a participants certificate.
Who is Self-harm suitable for?
- This 2-hour workshop is suitable for staff interested in developing knowledge in working with people who may self-harm or at risk of self-harming, e.g., educators, group facilitators.
Complex Emotional Needs
This one day course is designed to support staff to gain skills in working with people who may have difficulty with complex emotions.
The course helps staff to understand the diagnosis of personality disorders and how emotions and presentations can impact staff and those living with complex emotional needs.
The Complex Emotional Needs training is Continuing Professional Development (CPD) verified.
Course focus
- The impact of a diagnosis
- Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
- Current diagnostic criteria
- Supportive strategies
- Common interpersonal difficulties
- De-escalation strategies
- Staff wellbeing
- Exploring self-support
Course delivery
This is a full one day course delivered face to face or to staff teams online.
Course structure
Each course has a mixture of slides, videos, activities, and group work.
Number of participants
Minimum 6: maximum 18*
* maximum number for online courses is 12
Supportive documents
A workbook supports the course delivery and review.
Certification
After full course completion participants will be awarded CPD verified certification.
Who is Complex Emotional Needs suitable for?
- This 1-day course is suitable for staff who work directly with clients in a supportive capacity. This can include substance misuse workers, support workers and community workers.
Suicide workshop
It is devastating when someone takes their own life.
Those left behind are often plagued with questions or concerns that they didn’t see any signs that their friend, colleague or family member was in mental distress or thinking about ending their life.
This workshop examines some of the reasons, thoughts and misconceptions around dying by suicide.
Course focus
- Supporting suicide prevention
- Potential warning signs of suicide
- Suicide risk assessment
- Disclosure and signposting
- Self-care
Course delivery
This is a 2-hour workshop delivered face to face or to staff teams online.
Course structure
Each course has a mixture of slides, videos, activities, and group work.
Number of participants
Minimum 6: maximum 16*
* maximum number for online courses is 10
Supportive documents
Relevant handouts will be provided.
Certification
A participants certificate will be sent on completion.
Who is Suicide Workshop suitable for?
- This 2-hour workshop is most suitable for staff who work in a community setting including third sector and charity organisations.
- An adapted version of course can be delivered specific to managers and team leaders to support staff who work with a range of community groups.