Training Academy
Being an active part of a healthy community supports our own health and wellbeing. It allows us to feel connected to others, provides a sense of belonging and purpose and enables us to nurture and grow meaningful relationships.
How our training can support you...
The CMK Training Academy aims to provide local communities with the necessary knowledge and tools to flourish, whilst identifying and supporting others in need.
We understand the role of communities in improving and sustaining good health and wellbeing. We work to empower communities in ways which nurture the health and wellbeing of residents, reduce loneliness and increase networks of support and a sense of meaning, purpose and belonging.
With support from the National Lottery, we are able to offer Thanet residents free Mental Health First Aid training (MHFA) and a variety of wellbeing workshops, developing skills to empower and educate our local residents in important aspects of health and wellbeing.
What's on offer?
We offer free Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) courses for individuals working with members of the Thanet community through a volunteering role or within a community-facing organisation. We feel passionate about equipping members of our community with the tools and knowledge to identify and assist those in need of support. Being part of a connected community encourages a sense of belonging and a culture of compassion and inclusivity. To be eligible for a free space, you must meet the following criteria:
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Work, volunteer, or be a member of a community-facing or voluntary organisation in Thanet.
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Be aged 18 years and over for community courses.
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Be a part-time or full-time carer, or be claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
About Mental Health First Aid Training
We all have mental health, just as we all have physical health. Mental ill health can strike at any time and can affect everyone. Although things are improving, stigma still exists around mental ill health. As a society, we don't tend to know how to take care of our mental health like we do our physical health.
This means that people may not know how to support a friend, family member or colleague experiencing a mental health issue, or where to go for help with their own mental health. Mental Health First Aid is a training course which teaches people how to identify, understand and help someone who may be experiencing a mental health issue.
Our MHFA Adult and Youth courses won’t teach you to be a therapist, but will teach you to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis, and to potentially stop a crisis from happening. You’ll learn to recognise warning signs of mental ill health and develop the skills and confidence to approach and support someone while keeping yourself safe.
You’ll also learn how to empower someone to access the support they might need for recovery or successful management of symptoms. This could include self-help books or websites, accessing therapy services through their GP, their school or place of work, online self-referral, support groups, and more.
What’s more, you’ll gain an understanding of how to support positive wellbeing and tackle stigma in the world around you. Adult and/Youth Mental Health First Aid does not stop with a single course. It is an ongoing journey of learning, experiences, and understanding.
Our courses are licensed and endorsed by MHFA England and we can therefore support Mental Health First Aiders long after course completion, through membership of the largest dedicated community of Mental Health First Aiders® and links to MHFA England as a membership body.
You will be invited to join the Association of Mental Health First Aiders®, England’s first and only membership body for Mental Health First Aiders. By joining the largest community of its kind, you will be empowered to carry out your role with confidence.