Mental health and suicide prevention training

Mental health training can cover a range of topics and be offered in different ways, like courses, workshops, webinars, or one-off sessions.

From mental health awareness sessions and Mental Health First Aid qualifications to resilience and wellbeing workshops or suicide prevention training for frontline workers – it can sometimes be hard to find the right course for you or your team.

This guide can help you find the right training by giving an overview of:

the types of mental health training available
who might benefit
what to expect
how much it could cost

This type of training is for employees, volunteers, or managers to increase their knowledge of mental health. It could help you or your team understand:

common mental health issues
how to challenge stigma
how to look after your own mental wellbeing

Leeds Mind – Mental health awareness

Offering mental health awareness training which is useful for anyone wanting to increase their knowledge of mental health. It includes:

exploring your understanding of ‘mental health’
exploring stigma and the mental health continuum
recognising signs and symptoms of mental ill health
comparing different models of mental health
the Stress Vulnerability Model
helping increase knowledge and skill in having a conversation about mental health

The course is available as open access for individuals to book on.

Duration: half-day

Cost: £95 per person on open access (discounts available for VCSE organisations, as well as Mindful Employer network members, and corporates that are already working with Leeds Mind. Contact training@leedsmind.org.uk for more details)

Or an organisation can book a group session:

Duration: half day in person/online or full day in person or two days online

Cost: contact Leeds Mind Training for details: email training@leedsmind.org.uk or call 0113 305 5800

Certificate issued: no

Mental Health UK – Mental Health Awareness

This entry-level course aims to shift the perspective on mental health and help delegates understand the impact they can have on people affected by mental health problems and
how they can help. It includes:

Your wellbeing
What is mental health?
What is mental illness?
Stigma and discrimination
Supportive conversations

Duration: 3.5 hours online or 4 hours in person

Cost: from £2,000 online and from £2,600 in person

Certificate issued: yes

MHFA England – Become Mental Health Aware

This introductory online or face-to-face course gives people:

an understanding of what mental health is and how to challenge stigma
a basic knowledge of some common mental health issues
an introduction to looking after your own mental health and maintaining wellbeing
confidence to support someone in distress or who may be experiencing a problem with their mental health

Costs may vary depending on location and instructor.

Duration: half-day

Cost: £130 per person

Certificate issued: yes

NHS England eLFH (elearning for healthcare professionals)

Mental Health Awareness Programme

This short programme aims to raise mental health awareness amongst healthcare staff. It is designed to give a broad overview of:

what encompasses mental illness
the link between mental and physical health diagnoses
outline some possible treatment options

These sessions provide all staff working within health care with some general strategies to help support individuals who are worried about their mental health, and advice about where to find extra support. It is a collection of several smaller projects, that cover:

perinatal mental health
mental health in Emergency Medicine
mental health awareness for healthcare professionals
mental health awareness for GPs
mental health for Practice Nurses

In order to access the Mental Health Awareness programme, you will need an elfh account or you can access it via your Electronic Staff Record (ESR).

Duration: varies by profession, could be four or five 20 to 30 minute sessions

Cost: free to NHS health and care staff, who will have an eLFH account for their training, or free to people who don’t work for the NHS but qualify for free access via the OpenAthens portal.

Rethink – Mental Health Awareness

Designed and delivered by people living with mental illness. The course covers:

stigma and discrimination
the challenges people face
how to discuss mental health with a colleague, friend or family member

The training is for everyone.

Duration: 3.5 hours online or 4 hours in person, including short breaks

Cost: £2,000 online and from £2,600 in-person

Certificate issued: yes

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an internationally recognised qualification. The course teaches you how to:

identify, understand and help someone who may be experiencing a problem with their mental health
listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis – and even potentially stop a crisis from happening
empower someone to access the support they might need for recovery or successful management of symptoms
recognise warning signs of mental ill health, and develop the skills and confidence to approach and support someone while keeping yourself safe.

Some courses are intended to help you support adults or young people specifically.

Being You Leeds – Mental Health First Aid

This course qualifies you as a Mental Health First Aider and is available for third-sector frontline workers and volunteers in Leeds The course will give you:

an in-depth understanding of mental health and the factors that can affect wellbeing
practical skills to spot the triggers and signs of mental health issues
confidence to step in, reassure and support a person in distress
enhanced interpersonal skills such as non-judgemental listening
knowledge to help someone recover their health by guiding them to further support

See dates on the Being You Leeds pages on MindWell

Duration: 2 days or 4 half-days

Cost: free to all frontline workers in Leeds, including volunteers and peer mentors

Certificate issued: yes

Leeds for Learning – Youth Mental Health First Aid

The courses are for anyone who works with, lives with or supports young people aged 8-18yrs. Learning is divided into four manageable sessions:

session 1: Introduction to Youth Mental Health
session 2: Depression and anxiety
session 3: Suicide and psychosis
session 4: Self-harm and eating disorders

Duration: 2 days in person

Cost: £200 per delegate for settings that have an SLA with the Health & Wellbeing Service.
£275 for settings with no current Health & Wellbeing Service SLA. Also offer bespoke course at your venue if you wish to train up to 16 participants at once, at a cost of £2000.

Certificate issued: yes (valid for 3 years)

Leeds Mind – Mental Health First Aid

This internationally recognised course enables delegates to become a Mental Health First Aider in the workplace. You will gain:

a deeper understanding of mental health and factors that affect people’s wellbeing
practical skills to spot the triggers and signs of mental health issues
the confidence to step in and support someone and guide them towards appropriate support.

You will also learn to be mindful of your own wellbeing.

The course is available as open access for individuals to book on:

Duration: 2 days

Cost: £325 as an open access course (discounts available for VCSE
organisations, as well as Mindful Employer network members, and corporates
that are already working with Leeds Mind. Contact training@leedsmind.org.uk for more details)

Or an organisation can book a a group session:

Duration: 2 full days in person or 4 days online

Cost: contact Leeds Mind Training for details at training@leedsmind.org.uk or call 0113 305 5800

Certificate issued: yes

Mental Health UK – Mental Health First Aid

MHFA is designed and accredited by Mental Health First Aid England (MHFAE) who also train and quality-assure their trainers. Mental Health UK works with MHFA trainers to provide this training in various versions and formats including both the Adult and Youth versions.

Example content:

recognising people experiencing poor mental health
providing first-level support and early intervention
encouraging people to identify and access sources of professional help and other support
boundaries and confidentiality
self-care

Duration: online across 4 half day sessions or in person over 2 full days. 14 hours of content in total.

Cost: from £4,500 online and from £4,600 in person

Certificate issued: yes

MHFA England – Mental Health First Aid

As a Mental Health First Aider you will be able to:

recognise those that may be experiencing poor mental health and provide them with first-level support and early intervention
encourage a person to identify and access sources of professional help and other supports
practise active listening and empathy
have a conversation with improved mental health literacy around language and stigma
Discuss the MHFAider role in depth, including boundaries and confidentiality
practise self-care
know how to use the MHFAider Support App®
know how to access a dedicated text service provided by Shout and ongoing learning opportunities with MHFA England

Duration: online or face-to-face course structured across four flexible sessions. Each session is a maximum of 3 hours 45 minutes and sessions can be delivered within a 2 week period. There are 14 hours of content in total.

Cost: the course is valued at £325 per person, but may vary due to trainer and venue.

Certificate issued: yes

Mind Matters – Mental Health First Aid

Mind Matters offers the full range of Mental Health First Aid England licensed MHFA courses, including MHFA Adult and MHDA Youth courses.

As an MHFAider you will be able to:

recognise those that may be experiencing poor mental health and provide them with first-level support and early intervention
encourage a person to identify and access sources of professional help and other supports
practise active listening and empathy
have a conversation with improved mental health literacy around language and stigma
discuss the MHFAider role in depth, including boundaries and confidentiality
practise self-care
know how to use the MHFAider Support App®
know how to access a dedicated text service provided by Shout and ongoing learning opportunities with MHFA England

Duration: Courses are online or face-to-face, structured across four flexible sessions. Each session is a maximum of 4 hours and sessions can be delivered within a 2 week period.

Cost: £250 + VAT per delegate

Certificate issued: yes

Rethink – Mental Health First Aid

This course is ideal for individuals who would like to gain the knowledge and skills to spot signs of people experiencing poor mental health, be confident starting a conversation, and signpost a person to appropriate support. Rethink runs MHFA Adult and MHFA Youth courses.

As an MHFAider you will be able to:

recognise those that may be experiencing poor mental health and provide them with first-level support and early intervention
encourage a person to identify and access sources of professional help and other supports
practise active listening and empathy
have a conversation with improved mental health literacy around language and stigma
discuss the MHFAider role in depth, including boundaries and confidentiality
practise self-care
know how to use the MHFAider Support App®
know how to access a dedicated text service provided by Shout and ongoing learning opportunities with MHFA England

Duration: Online across 4 half day sessions or in-person over 2 full days. 14 hours of content in total.

Cost: from £4,500 online and from £4,600 in person

Certificate issued: yes

Skills for managers training courses can help managers support staff experiencing mental health difficulties such as stress, anxiety and depression.

ACAS – Mental Health: skills for managers

Practical skills to enable managers to confidently and effectively promote and support positive mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.

Delegates attending this event will gain an understanding of what impacts mental health and wellbeing, as well as specific mental ill health conditions. They will learn how to effectively engage with staff at an early stage and gain practical knowledge of carrying out wellbeing conversations.

Duration: online via Zoom, two 3-hour webinars over two consecutive days or one 6-hour full day

Cost: £270.00 per person, VAT exempt

Certificate issued: yes

ACAS – Mental Health: employer responsibilities

Employers have a duty of care to employees. This includes a legal responsibility to support their employees’ mental health and wellbeing. This training is especially suitable for HR teams, business owners, line managers, supervisors, team leaders.

The training provides:

essential insights into employer responsibilities and the law
the benefits of making positive changes
the risks of not adapting policies and practices to support mental health

Duration: 2 hours online via Zoom

Cost: £110 per person, VAT exempt

Certificate issued: yes

Leeds Mind – Skills for Managers

Leeds Mind provides a range of mental health training, focusing on sharing practical strategies for positive communication and enhancing workplace wellbeing.

Find out about Open Access courses or download their Workplace Mental Health training brochure

Supporting and managing staff with stress, anxiety, and depression. This training focuses on practical suggestions and tools and is useful for anyone who manages or supports staff with mental health difficulties.

Topics include:

the business case for managing mental health at work
demystifying and understanding the term ‘mental health’
recognising signs and symptoms of mental ill health
strategies for communicating effectively with staff who may be experiencing
mental distress
signposting staff to relevant support and services
identifying and applying reasonable adjustments in relation to mental health
good practice for absence management in relation to mental health

The course is available as open access for individuals to book on:

Duration: 1 day in person or 2 half days online

Cost: £175 (discounts available for VCSE organisations, as well as Mindful Employer network members, and corporates that are already working with Leeds Mind. Contact training@leedsmind.org.uk for more details)

Or an organisation can book a a group session:

Duration: 1 full day in person or 2 half days online

Cost: contact Leeds Mind Training for details at training@leedsmind.org.uk or call 0113 305 5800

Certificate issued: no

Mental Health UK – Mental health in the workplace for managers

This course aims to change approaches to mental health in the workplace. Designed for group leaders, it provides the knowledge and tools needed to respond to stress and poor mental health at work with confidence, empathy, and professionalism.

Modules include:

your wellbeing
what is mental health?
what is mental illness?
mental illness in the workplace: how can managers respond?
supportive conversations

Duration: 3.5 hours online or 4 hours in person, including short breaks

Cost: from £2,000 online and from £2,600 in person

Certificate issued: yes

Rethink – Mental health in the workplace for managers

Designed and delivered by people with lived experience of mental illness, this mental health in the workplace training introduces employers and employees to the stigma and discrimination people living with mental illness face, as well as introducing a range of tools to support colleagues in their workplace who might have their own mental health concerns.

This course is aimed at anyone who may support colleagues in the workplace in relation to their mental health, particularly employees with people-management responsibilities. It includes:

your wellbeing
what is mental health?
what is mental illness?
management tools
how to have a supportive conversation with someone about their mental health, in a workplace context

Duration: 3.5 hours online or 4 hours in person, including short breaks.

Cost: from £2,000 online and from £2,600 in-person

Certificate issued: yes

Mental Health Champion training

Mental Health Champions are employees within an organisation who, alongside their usual roles, raise awareness of mental health and mental illness in various creative ways.

Mental Health UK – Mental Health Champions

Modules include:

what is a Champion?
your wellbeing
what is mental health?
what is mental illness?
supportive conversations
stigma and discrimination
action planning

Duration: 3.5 hours online or 4 hours in person, including short breaks

Cost: from £2,000 online and from £2,600 in person

Certificate issued: yes

MHFA England – MHFA Champion

This course is available online or through a face-to-face training session. It will give you:

an understanding of common mental health issues
knowledge and confidence to advocate for mental health awareness
ability to spot signs of mental ill health
skills to support positive wellbeing

Duration: 1 day, delivered either face-to-face or online

Cost: They value this course at £200 per person, but costs may vary depending on location and instructor.

Certificate issued: yes

Mind Matters – Champion training

Champion training will help you develop:

an understanding of common mental health issues
knowledge and confidence to advocate for mental health awareness
the ability to spot signs of mental ill health
skills to support positive wellbeing

Duration: 1 day

Cost: £180 + VAT per delegate, but a 5% discount is available to students, volunteers, third-sector organisations, and bookings of more than one place (or course).

Certificate received: yes

Rethink – Mental Health Champion

Mental Health Champions are employees within your organisation who, alongside their usual roles, raise awareness of mental health and mental illness in various creative ways. The modules covered are:

What is a Champion?
Your wellbeing
What is mental health?
What is mental illness?
Support conversations
Stigma and discrimination
Action planning

Duration: 3.5 hours online or 4 hours in-person, including short breaks.

Cost: from £2,000 online and from £2,600 in person

Certificate issued: yes

Check-in campaign

The ‘Check-in‘ campaign aims to reduce staff suicide and promote a wellbeing culture by normalising the conversation around suicide and mental health as well as providing training, resources and signposting to support.

You can find out more about the campaign on the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership website. The campaign is accessible to all colleagues, working and volunteering, in organisations across the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership area.

Duration: varies – the website has links to resources, training and the campaign toolkit

Cost: free

Training that addresses suicide prevention, intervention, and handling crises. It can help you know what to do if you’re ever in a situation where someone you know or see may be struggling with thoughts of suicide.

Leeds Mind – A Life Worth Living

The course helps to increase your confidence, skills and knowledge, to help you offer support and information to a potentially suicidal person, which could prove life-saving. It includes:

how to be able to identify ‘a life worth living’ and build confidence, skills and knowledge to offer support and information to a potentially suicidal person
how to signpost to local services and access the relevant pathway of support

The course is available as open access for individuals to book on:

Duration: 4 hours

Cost: £95 for individuals (discounts available for VCSE organisations, as well as Mindful Employer network members, and corporates that are already working with Leeds Mind. Contact training@leedsmind.org.uk for more details)

Or an organisation can book a a group session:

Duration: 4 hours

Cost: contact Leeds Mind Training for details at training@leedsmind.org.uk or call 0113 305 5800

Certificate issued: no

Zero Suicide Alliance (ZSA)

A short, online course that can be taken by anyone aged 16 and over who wants to learn basic suicide awareness and prevention skills. The training will take you through:

suicide risk factors
suicide warning signs
coached scenarios sharing approaches for how you can talk to someone you’re worried about
videos from people sharing real experiences
where to find information about available support

Duration: 30 minutes

Cost: free

Certificate issued: yes

Explore more courses available from ZSA including Autism and Suicide Awareness Training, University Student Suicide Awareness Training, and Suicide Awareness Training for Probation Staff on ZSA’s website.

Mental Health UK – Suicide Awareness

This course is designed to break down the stigma that still surrounds suicide and equip you with the knowledge and skills to spot the warning signs of suicide, feel more confident in how to support yourself, hold compassionate conversations around suicide, and make a meaningful difference.

Modules include:

looking after yourself
suicide and stigma
spotting the signs
having a safe conversation

Duration: 4 hours plus a one-hour break, either online or in person

Cost: from £2,000 online and from £2,600 in person

Certificate issued: yes

Rethink – Suicide Awareness Training

This training course will equip you with the knowledge and skills to better understand the topic of suicide and spot any warning signs of suicide, as well as to feel more confident in how to support yourself and hold a safe conversation with someone who is having thoughts of suicide.

Modules included are:

how to look after yourself
the stigma associated with suicide and how we can challenge this
warning signs of suicide
how to hold a safe conversation with someone who is having thoughts of suicide

Duration: 4 hours, plus a one-hour break, either online or in person

Cost: from £2,000 online and from £2,600 in person

Certificate issued: yes

Being You Leeds

Being You Leeds runs mental health training to educate others on mental health and how to best support people struggling with their mental health. It’s open to people who work and volunteer in third-sector support services and want to learn how to better support people struggling with their mental health. Full details on how to book on the MindWell website.

SafeTALK

Suitable for anyone who may come into contact with individuals at risk of suicide, either at work or in their personal life. It will help you to:

recognise those who may be at risk of suicide
ask individuals clearly and openly about their thoughts of suicide
connect individuals at risk to local sources of help

This course is offered by Being You Leeds with Inspire North Training.

Duration: 3 hours in person

Cost: free, subject to availability, for third-sector organisations and community groups in Leeds

Certificate issued: yes

ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training)

ASIST teaches Suicide First Aid skills to raise confidence and knowledge and to familiarise participants with the most widely used suicide intervention model in the world.

Course participants will learn to:

recognise invitations for help
reach out and offer support
review the risk of suicide
apply a suicide intervention model
link people with community resources

Recognised by the Department of Health, ASIST is fast becoming an essential tool for all
community caregivers. The course aims to break down stereotypes and misinformation about suicide and gives participants an evidence-based approach to those at risk. Participants will have a chance to analyse their own views about suicide, they will be
introduced to the intervention model and given opportunities to observe and practise skills in
effective suicide intervention.

Duration: 2 full days in person

Cost: free, subject to availability, for third-sector organisations and community groups in Leeds

Certificate issued: yes

Samaritans – Managing suicidal conversations

This CPD certified course is suitable for anyone whose position may bring them into contact with people who have suicidal thoughts, providing them with the knowledge and skills to support an individual.

At the end of this course you will be able to:

appreciate the profile of suicide in the UK
understand the background factors and feelings that can lead to suicidal thoughts
recognise direct and indirect signs of suicidal ideation
develop skills to manage a suicidal conversation sensitively and effectively
explore strategies to assess and respond to risk
know how and where to signpost to sources of additional support

Duration: One 7-hour day, delivered online via Zoom

Cost: £270

Certificate issued: yes

Other suicide prevention training

You can explore more suicide prevention training on the West Yorkshire Suicide Prevention website, including national and local providers, short online sessions and training tailored to students or veterans.

More comprehensive courses for those working with specific communities, seeking in-depth knowledge or who are in specialist roles.

Humans Being – Switch on to Women’s Safety (Train the Trainer)

A free workshop that equips trainers and leaders to deliver ‘Switch on – active bystander’ sessions with men, helping them to understand and respond to women’s experiences of harassment and abuse in public spaces.

Training content includes:

understanding women’s experiences of harassment, abuse, and assault
exploring men’s roles in creating safer public spaces
building empathy and awareness of the impact of harassment
learning safe, practical active bystander techniques
sharing examples of positive interventions men already make
planning and preparing to deliver your own “Switch On” workshop
access to ready-to-use training materials and resources

Duration: half-day

Cost: free

Forward Leeds – Alcohol and Other Drugs

Forward Leeds has a team that provides training and information around alcohol and drugs and their links to mental health.

Training courses include:

Visit their website for training aims of each course.

Duration: usually half a day, in person or online

Cost: free

Solace Leeds – Understanding Factors Impacting Wellbeing in Asylum Seekers and Refugees

This training is for anyone working in Leeds, West Yorkshire in the mental health field who would like to understand more about refugees and asylum seekers and specifically how to support them better.

You will learn to:

understand how to communicate about emotional and mental wellbeing
understand how trauma symptoms may present in people
learn techniques to work with traumatised people

Duration: 2.5 hours

Cost: online from £225, in person from £270

Certificate issued: yes

Solace Leeds – Working with Interpreters in a Mental Health Setting

If you work or volunteer in a mental health or wellbeing support practice, and may need to use interpreters for patients or service users with limited English language, this course will benefit you.

You will learn:

how to get the best out of your interpreter – an interpreter can be a voice and a consultant of cultural contexts
how to manage an appointment with a 3rd person involved
how to have am efficient appointment
managing boundaries when you have an interpreter

Duration: 2.5 hours

Cost: online from £225

Certificate issued: yes

Solace Leeds – Free e-Learning

In addition to their priced training, Solace offers free self-guided e-learning courses. The courses are a culmination of over 15 years of practice supporting asylum seekers with their wellbeing and mental health. By completing both courses below, you can expect to have a good understanding of global displacement, and the reasons behind it. You will have a good knowledge of the process of seeking asylum in the UK and the factors that cause stress and impact mental health.

Courses on offer:

Duration: self-guided, to be completed at your own pace

Cost: free

Certificate issued: yes

Solace Leeds – Support for Resettled Children and Families Webinars

Solace also offers five free webinars sharing knowledge and expertise around supporting resettled children and families. Building a new life with limited English while navigating complex UK systems can be overwhelming and disempowering. The Solace Children and Families Wellbeing Support Team (CFWS) share insight into how you can work therapeutically in a trauma-informed and culturally sensitive way, adapting your practice to facilitate the health and flourishing of refugees invited to settle in the UK.

Webinars on offer:

Children and families wellbeing support introduction
Supporting the wellbeing of resettled refugee families
Supporting resettled refugee children in schools
Supporting the wellbeing of sanctuary seekers in health care settings
Supporting the wellbeing of sanctuary seekers in social care

Duration: around 1 hour each

Cost: free

Certificate issued: no

Battle Scars – Understanding & Responding to Self-harm

Providing deep insights into self-harm resulting in better understanding and becoming better equipped to support someone who self-harms.

Workshop

An in-depth, fully interactive session catering to different learning styles and plenty of opportunities for discussion, which includes:

exploring the complexity of self-harm
dispelling some of the common myths
methods of self-harm and different presentations depending on the person’s age
self-harm and autism
roots of self-harming behaviour, including triggers
how people feel through different self-harm stages
building healthier strategies
how to provide effective support
the relationship between self-harm and suicide

Duration: 1 day

Cost: available as group bookings or individually, online or in-person, so prices vary from £75 per person to £750 for a group of 6 to 15 people (doesn’t include room hire, refreshments or travel costs).

Certificate issued: yes

Question and Answer-style session

This session is ideal for those with limited time and/or budget and a good way to lay a good foundation of knowledge and understanding. It can focus on your questions and needs, including:

exploring the complexity of self-harm
dispelling some of the common myths

Duration: 2 hours

Cost: Private group booking of 6 to 20 people: online £30 per person, in-person £300 (doesn’t include room hire, refreshments or travel costs).

Certificate issued: yes

Battle Scars – Understanding & Responding to Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating

For professionals, the training will offer deep insight into eating disorders/disordered eating, resulting in better understanding and practical suggestions to support someone who struggles with eating distress. It includes:

the complexity and variety of eating disorders and disordered eating patterns
different diagnoses and the importance of looking beyond them
roots of eating disorders and disordered eating
difference between eating disorders and disordered eating
dispelling some of the common myths
spotting the signs
practical tips in supporting people with eating distress

Duration: 4 hours

Cost: available as group bookings or individually, online or in-person, so prices vary from £55 per person to £550 for a group of 6 to 15 people (doesn’t include room hire, refreshments or travel costs).

Certificate issued: yes

Battle Scars – Autism, Self-Harm & Mental Health

For professionals, the training offers in-depth insight into autism, self-harm and mental health, helping to build understanding and practical approaches to supporting autistic people in a holistic, person-centred, trauma-informed way. It includes:

what causes autism and how it presents
pros and cons of getting an autism diagnosis
support needs, masking, and managing sensory overload
why autistic people are at higher risk of experiencing mental health challenges and self-harm (including eating disorders)
autism and LGBT+

Duration: 3.5 hours

Cost: available as group bookings or individually, online or in person, so prices vary from £50 per person to £550 for a group of 6 to 15 people (doesn’t include room hire, refreshments or travel costs).

Certificate issued: yes

Battle Scars – Self-Harm in the Workplace

For professionals, this training provides in-depth insight into self-harm and eating distress, equipping you with practical skills to support staff, clients, and visitors. It includes:

understanding self-harm and eating disorders
recognising signs and risk factors
supporting higher risk groups, including people with autism
the relationship between self-harm and suicide
initiating conversations and using appropriate language
creating a safer work environment
dispelling common myths
supporting family members of those who self-harm

Duration: 1 full day or two 3-hour sessions, online or in person

Cost: from £1,100

Certificate issued: yes

Leeds Mind – Understanding Self-harm

Free workshops for frontline staff working in the community in Leeds, available until the end of March 2026 – see booking form for dates. The workshops have been developed with personal experiences of self-harm at their core, using feedback from people who self-harm/have self-harmed and frontline staff who work with them.

Understanding Self-harm: 1-day introduction: A session that’s a safe,
supportive opportunity to look at what is self-harm and who is more likely to
experience it, what causes self-harming behaviour and listen to voices of lived
experience.
Understanding Self-harm: An introduction: An introductory three hour
session that includes: what is self-harm, understanding the language we use,
cultural competency with self-harm and the self-harm cycle.
Understanding Self-harm: Compassion and Communication: The session
includes: trauma informed support and practice, alternatives to self-harm,
helpful responses to self-harm and honest conversations and voices of lived
experience.
Understanding Self-harm: Empowerment and Reflection: The workshop
includes: empowering principles and practice, trauma informed team and
organisational strategies, staff self-care and using reflective practice.

You can book open access workshops using an online form or to discuss booking us
to run in-house sessions in your place of work, email peersupporttraining@leedsmind.org.uk

For all the workshops

Duration: 1-day introduction is 7 hours and all other workshops are 3 hours each

Cost: free for frontline staff working within the community in Leeds. £50 charge for non-attendance

Certificate issued: yes (on request)

For more information about the workshops and to book places, call Leeds Mind on 0113 305 5800 or email peersupporttraining@leedsmind.org.uk.

Inspire North – Drug and Alcohol Awareness

An introductory drug and alcohol use awareness course aimed at those who come into contact with people who have difficulties around drug and alcohol use.

At the end of the course participants will be able to:

be aware of the current legal framework and trends in drug and alcohol use
identify different categories of psychoactive substances
understand the physical and psychological effects of drugs and alcohol use
understand the cycle of change and treatment goals for substance misuse
consider a range of brief interventions to support problematic drug and alcohol use

By the end of the training you will feel more confident in discussing these issues with clients and be able to make more appropriate referrals to specialist services.

Duration: 1 full day in person

Cost: £99

Leeds City Council – Public Health Training

Public health training for people working in Leeds. This page collates a wide range of training offerings across the city, from providers including the NHS and third-sector organisations. Visit the website for training aims and content for each course.

Topics include:

Breast Feeding and Relationship Building
Domestic Abuse
Financial Inclusion
Healthy Living Training
Making Every Contact Count (MECC)
Health Protection Training

Duration: varies, online and in person

Cost: free for public sector and third sector organisations

Certificate issued: yes (for certain courses)

If you are part of a team that works or volunteers in Leeds and would benefit from having MECC training delivered as a team, email phforall@leeds.gov.uk for further information on how to arrange this.

Leeds Health and Wellbeing Training Programme

Open to all those whose work involves improving the health and wellbeing of people and communities in Leeds. The course covers the elements and theory of public health, enabling you to understand and deliver the challenging public health agenda.

Workshops include:

Public health: past, present and future
Partnership working and partnerships
How to understand information and interpret data
Working with communities
How to effect change
Evaluation
Increasing personal effectiveness
Masterclass (reflective learning)

Duration: The course runs over eight months, with a half-day session each month.

Cost: Places are available for £80 per person for the whole programme.

Certificate received: yes

Samaritans – Supportive Listening

An online learning programme which brings Samaritans’ listening and wellbeing expertise into the workplace. It will help people build their knowledge and skills to listen and support people who may be vulnerable, such as customers, clients, patients, service users, colleagues, or friends and family.

Duration: The online training is split into 12 bite-sized topics, which can be taken as an entire course or in smaller chunks. Each topic takes approximately 10 minutes to complete.

Cost: The cost for this is based on a 3-year license and standard customisation which is £2,500 + VAT for under 500 staff and £3,000 + VAT for over 501 staff.

Certificate issued: no

Explore the range of open courses available for organisations that don’t need in-house training.

Leeds Health Awareness – Cancer Training Toolkit

Leeds Health Awareness is developing a Cancer Training toolkit. The training is set at introductory level and is open to everyone with an interest in knowing more about Cancer. Some of the sessions focus on barriers experienced by people with additional needs such as serious mental illness, cultural, or language barriers.

Sessions include:

Lung Cancer Awareness
Bowel Cancer Awareness
Cervical Cancer Awareness
Prostate Cancer Awareness
How to have meaningful conversations about Cancer
Breast Cancer Awareness

Duration: 1 hour

Cost: free

Leeds Young Carers Support Service – Young Carers Training

Information, advice and support for professionals supporting young carers and their families in Leeds.

Training includes:

We Are Young Carer Friendly Leeds (WAYCFL) Programme – a bespoke package of information, resources and training enabling settings to review current young carer identification and support systems and improve outcomes for young carers
Practice Development Sessions – an opportunity to develop knowledge, increase confidence, and improve identification and support for young carers and their families

Duration: varies

Cost: free

For book a place on a Practice Development Session or find out more about bespoke packages of support, complete an online enquiry form.

This type of training focuses on building resilience and promoting personal wellbeing to prevent burnout and improve overall mental health. It could:

help people look after their own mental health and wellbeing
be useful for those who have experienced problems with their mental wellbeing and want to stay well
support those who are in Mental Health Champion, Mental Health First Aider or manager roles, or work on the health and care front line, who want to ensure they stay well when they’re supporting others

Solace Leeds – An Introduction to Stress & Trauma, Vicarious Trauma and Vicarious Resilience

The trauma we bear witness to in our work, directly or indirectly, undoubtedly affects us. The purpose of this training is to understand how it affects us and what we can do about it.

You will learn:

to understand stress & trauma and how it can impact us
to define vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, burnout, resilience, and vicarious resilience
to identify risk factors for developing vicarious trauma
to identify strategies that enhance both personal and professional resilience

Duration: 2.5 hours

Cost: online from £225, in person from £270

Humans Being

Humans Being runs a range of workshops and courses to help support your volunteers, service users and staff.

Peer Mentoring and Peer Support Skills

A practical workshop that helps staff develop the confidence, skills, and structure to support their peers effectively — building stronger, more connected, and resilient teams.

Content includes:

core peer mentoring principles and tools
using lived experience effectively
facilitation skills: roles, ground rules, active listening
creating positive, inclusive sessions
managing sensitive issues and boundaries
suicide awareness and signposting
building sustainable peer-support networks

Mentally Healthy Workspaces

A workshop series designed to help individuals and teams create supportive, balanced, and mentally healthy workplaces by improving personal wellbeing and building mutual understanding.

Workshops include:

stress management on the go
using mindfulness
appreciating yourself and those around you
getting out of the gender box

Creating Strong Work Relationships

A workshop series focused on building positive, respectful, and empowering workplace relationships to boost wellbeing, motivation, and collaboration.

Workshops include:

assertiveness at work
look who’s talking – gender, power and conversation
running effective and empowering meetings

Duration: varies

Cost: varies

For more information or to enquire about tailored training packages to suit your organisation, complete the online contact form.

Leeds Mental Wellbeing Service (LMWS)

A range of free online courses and one-off classes that teach practical methods to manage different mental health issues.

Overcoming stress and low mood

This course focuses on helping you to reduce and manage symptoms of anxiety and depression. It teaches a variety of strategies to help you challenge unhelpful thoughts, improve your sleep and boost your wellbeing.

Duration: 2 hours per week over 6 weeks (online, evenings)

Cost: LMWS courses are free to people aged 18 and over who are registered with a Leeds GP.

Certificate issued: no

Depression Recovery

This course explores how depression is maintained by unhelpful thoughts and behaviours, and teaches CBT interventions to help overcome it.

Duration: 2 hours per week over 6 weeks (online, daytime and evenings)

Cost: LMWS courses are free to people aged 18 and over who are registered with a Leeds GP.

Certificate issued: no

Explore the range of one-off workshops available on topics including Sleep Well and Struggling with Motivation.

Leeds Recovery College

A range of courses and workshops to help you manage your wellbeing, including relaxation, WRAP and mindfulness. There are free sessions on offer for the community and for people working in the Leeds Health and Care System, NHS, a charity, or Leeds City Council.

Wellbeing Recovery Action Plan (WRAP)

WRAP is a plan that you develop for yourself and helps you think about living well. The process supports you to identify the tools that keep you well and create action plans to put them into practice in your everyday life.

Duration: 2.5 hours a week for 8 or 10 weeks

Cost: Free community courses available to adults (18 and over) who live, work or study in Leeds

Certificate issued: yes (for WRAP courses)

Explore the range of wellbeing courses and workshops for adults in Leeds.

Explore the range of wellbeing courses and events for people working in the Leeds Health and Care System, NHS, charity, or Leeds City Council.

Leeds Mind – Employee resilience and wellbeing

Leeds Mind offers a range of workshops and bitesize sessions to help people take better care of their mental wellbeing and manage common problems like anxiety, stress, and workplace wellbeing. Leeds Mind can also design bespoke training for organisations.

Duration:

3 hour workshops:

Building Resilience
Stress Awareness
Menopause Awareness

1 hour bitesize sessions:

Resilience
Stress Awareness
Setting Boundaries
Burnout
Menopause
Wellness Action Plans
Food and Mood

Cost: contact Leeds Mind Training for details at training@leedsmind.org.uk or call 0113 305 5800

Certificate issued: no

Mental Health UK – Bite-size Mental Health Webinars

These bite-sized training sessions offer a quick yet impactful way to explore essential mental health topics – perfectly suited for busy schedules.

Mental health and suicide prevention training

General mental health awareness

Mental Health First Aid

Training for managers and workplace champions

Mental Health Champion training

Suicide awareness and suicide prevention

Other suicide prevention training

Specialist and public health training

Wellbeing and resilience for staff and volunteers