Following on from very positive feedback from course attendees, the Textile Services Association (TSA) continues to champion the importance of mental health in the laundry industry via its program of Mental Health First Aider courses.
The first course of 2023 took place on the 23-24th of January. The courses are aimed at providing line managers with an understanding of common mental health issues, and the knowledge they need to feel confident about advocating for mental health issues.
Course attendees are shown how to spot signs of mental ill health as well as the skills to support positive wellbeing. All participants qualify as Mental Health First Aid Champions upon completion of the course. The recent course sold out very quickly, demonstrating the interest the laundry industry has in driving improvements in this area.
It will be followed up with another chance to take the Mental Health First Aider (MHFA) course. This is aimed at providing information and building confidence to help with identifying mental health issues and helping anyone experiencing them to get the help they need, as well as ways to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.
Any TSA member interested in attending the next MHFA course is advised to register their interest now to ensure they are informed when bookings open.
“The TSA feels it is vitally important that it supports its members to help ensure their employees mental health is looked after,” says David Stevens, CEO of the TSA. “It’s brilliant that we now have more qualified mental health first aiders in the industry, and we hope more companies will be inspired to join this initiative.”
Feedback from attendees from courses held in 2022 was overwhelmingly positive. Responses include “I now feel confident to approach someone who I feel may be struggling,” and “It taught me skills that will allow me to assist or guide someone in difficulty.”
“The enthusiasm for these courses are a concrete demonstration of the laundry industry’s commitment to driving improvements in inclusion and wellbeing,” says David. “The industry is rightly proud of its successes in building out ways of supporting its employees, and the TSA will continue to find ways of providing the training and skills they need in order to continue doing so. We feel with the cost of living crisis and other pressures people are facing that this is more important than ever.”
For more information about future training events and to secure your place, please visit the TSA’s website.