Those who spend their lives caring for other people often need to be reminded to look after themselves. So, we’re using World Mental Health Day 2024 as an excuse to do just that.
We’ve curated a list of six mental health training courses that are quick and free to take – and can leave you feeling better equipped to help yourself and support those within your care.
Keep reading to discover:
- What World Mental Health Day is and why it exists
- Why WMHD is important to the care sector
- 6 Free online mental health courses to boost your knowledge.
What is World Mental Health Day?
World Mental Health Day (WMHD) takes place on 10 October each year, and is designed to raise mental health awareness around the world.
Each year, a new theme is chosen for WMHD and the theme for WMHD 2024 is: ‘It is Time to Prioritise Mental Health in the Workplace’.
WMHD is an initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health, which was founded in 1948 to raise mental health awareness and break down stereotypes around mental disorders.
Why should WMHD matter to workers in the care sector?
Being qualified to care for people with mental health disorders is obviously vital. But having the skills to care for your own mental wellbeing is equally important to providing that care.
Last year, 1 in 5 UK workers took time off due to poor mental health. When we look at the top causes of burnout, it’s obvious that mental health should be a priority for the sector:
- financial insecurity and the cost of living
- caring responsibilities
- high workloads, and
- regularly working over their contracted hours.
Care workers face these burnout risks every single day. So, WMHD 2024 is the perfect excuse to improve your mental health and self-care knowledge. We can help you do that.
Free online mental health courses for WMHD 2024
FuturU exists because we think that people who care for others every day shouldn’t have to pay for their own training. Universal free access to healthcare education is our mission.
So, here are six free online courses to help boost your mental health skills and confidence. Each one is free, CPD-accredited and comes with a free course completion certificate.
1. Mental Health Awareness
Improve your understanding of mental health, learn to challenge mental health stigma and discrimination, and build up your own resilience with this 30-minute free online course.
Take this course to improve your understanding of:
- Mental health terminology and recognised disorders
- Policies and laws surrounding mental health care
- How best to support the people within your care
- Your own mental health, and ways to look after it.
2. Self-harm
Raise your awareness, understanding and confidence with a complex issue that requires a great deal of discretion and understanding, by taking this 90-minute self-harm online course.
Take this course to understand more about:
- Self-harm, the different types and who it can affect
- Reasons, triggers and warning signs for self-harming
- Treatments and support for individuals who self-harm
- Correct procedures to follow after a self-harm incident.
Take our free online Self-harm course.
3. Suicide, Alcohol & Drug Abuse
Gain essential knowledge on substance abuse and suicide with this 60-minute course, and develop the skills and understanding to support individuals in your care who are struggling.
Take this course to learn vital information about:
- Different types of drugs and alcohol, and their effects
- The causes of substance abuse, and spotting the signs
- How to recognise and respond to suicidal thoughts.
4. Mental Capacity Act
Discover how The Mental Capacity Act (MCA) supports and protects individuals who are unable to make decisions for themselves, with this comprehensive 30-minute course.
Take the course to get a better understanding of:
- What mental capacity is, and who the MCA concerns
- The five core principles of the MCA and how to apply them
- How to assess an individual’s mental capacity and best interests
- The roles and powers of a Lasting Power of Attorney, the Court of Protection, and Independent Mental Capacity Advocates.
Take our free online Mental Capacity Act course.
5. Behaviours of Concern
Learn to deal with individuals whose behaviour sometimes makes you uncomfortable or upset, and to manage crisis situations effectively and safely, with this 55-minute course.
Take this course to improve your ability to:
- Identify and understand different behaviours of concern
- De-escalate and manage challenging situations
- Work within legal and ethical guidelines to ensure safe practice
- Provide appropriate support to those involved.
Take our free online Behaviours of Concern course.
6. Inner Wellness for Self-care: an introduction
Built around the Daily Success Ritual from wellness expert Suhail Mirza, this 15-minute introductory course will help you feel more of the emotions you want – and less of those you don’t.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Understand what inner wellness is and how it relates to you
- Be aware of the importance of – and need for – inner wellness
- Recognise some of the key benefits of practising inner wellness.
