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Mental Health First Aider Training at LW Theatres

Category: Disability (Learning/Mental/Physical)

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LW Theatres have recently provided Mental Health First Aider training to a group of their employees.

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The training has enabled employees to better understand mental health issues and given them the ability to identify the signs of mental ill health and the skills to support positive wellbeing and happiness.

After the training, the attendees were asked the following questions and here are some of their answers:

Why do you think such training is important in the workplace? 

"Following the pandemic, I think we can probably agree we’ve seen a rise in colleagues and indeed ourselves becoming stressed and/or mentally unwell more easily. Having nominated first aiders in the workplace creates a kind of safety net and identifies those who you might be more inclined to approach who possess a few more tools to assist."
James Davies, Front of House Manager, The London Palladium.

"It helps us become a more inclusive and understanding work environment of all the needs of our guests, clients and colleagues alike. Not all disabilities are visible and mental health issues can affect ones’ life in many ways. To have a clear and accessible support structure at work can be crucial for the mental well-being of our staff."
Andy Conroy, Theatre Manager at Her Majesty’s Theatre.

 

What was the reason you wanted to do the training? 

"I wanted to gain knowledge that would help me balance my role as a manager and also my duty of care as someone in a senior position. More than ever, I have found that all our teams have a greater need for more varied support. I wanted to understand how to deliver this within my remit and whilst also keeping myself safe and well."
Emily Davies, Deputy Theatre Manager at Her Majesty’s Theatre.

"I wanted to better understand mental health and how I can go about lending a hand to those around me in the most beneficial way possible."
Aaron Hakim, Fire Officer Adelphi Theatre

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What was your biggest takeaway from the course?

"I think an understanding that each individual has their own frame of reference, which may well be vastly different from your own. Being mindful of these experiences when dealing with colleagues and understanding that “two things can be true”.
James Davies, Front of House Manager, The London Palladium.

"My biggest takeaway is how important it is to be kind to one another. A simple act of kindness can make a big impact, sometimes more so than you’ll ever know."
Kimberley Waterman, Technology Development Manager.

How will you use what you’ve learnt to support those around you? 

"The training informed us of the processes we can follow to ensure we can help and support our peers in the company – through both professional and personal circumstances. But whilst we do that, we need to be mindful of where we are on the mental health continuum – we can only support if we are taking care of ourselves too."
Binita Bantawa, Marketing Manager.

"By making myself available should anyone ever want someone to listen and/or assist them to find resources that might be of help in their situation. Also, I think it’s important to keep an eye on each other and check in if you think someone might be having a bad day or is going through something bigger. It helps to know you don’t have to face things alone." Kimberley Waterman, Technology Development Manager.

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The training was delivered by Jane Cattermole, Mainly Mental Health. We caught up with her after the training to talk about her experiences training our team:

The Theatre and Performing Arts industry has been disproportionately affected over the last few years by the Pandemic. MHFA Training provides a boundaried and evidence-based model for providing help on a ‘first aid’ basis and the content is not always easy. I was so impressed by this group from LW Theatres -their commitment to learning about mental health, to exploring their own belief systems and to work through challenging material. Their honesty, willingness to be open with each other and, above all, their support for each other made facilitating the course an absolute pleasure. I know they will use the skills they learned in all areas of their lives, to support each other and, so importantly at the moment, to prioritise their own self-care. Jane Cattermole, Mainly Mental Health.

We are committed to raising the profile of mental wellbeing in our teams and we look forward to welcoming Jane back later this month to talk to our teams about resilience and happiness in the workplace. We have also booked in our second session to train up another group of Mental Health First aiders.

 

For more information on LW Theatre’s DEI work please click hereLW Theatres Logo

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