If you’re a caregiver or working with rangitahi in Wānaka, attending a Mental Health First Aid Course is a must!
OUT & About Wānaka, in partnership with Path Wānaka | Ara Ki Wānaka and Community Link, are proud to fund and support this two-day Youth Mental Health First Aid course as part of the 2025 Wānaka Pride Week.
Hosted by Path Wānaka and facilitated by Karyn Munro of Mental Health First Aid Aotearoa, this evidence-based programme is backed by robust research. The Aotearoa New Zealand adaptation has been shaped by people in the Māori, Pacific, and rainbow communities, as well as those with lived experience and clinical advisors.
About The Course
This Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course equips adults who teach, care for, or support rangatahi and young people with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to recognise, understand and respond to them experiencing a mental health challenge or mental health crisis. This workshop will cover a range of topics including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, psychosis, problematic substance abuse, non-suicidal self-injury, suicidal thoughts and behaviours, panic attacks, traumatic events and other situations.
You Will Learn
- How to recognise the signs and symptoms of common mental health challenges in young people.
- How to respond to an emerging or worsening mental health challenge, and assist a young person until professional help is received or the crisis resolves.
- How to have an open, supportive conversation with a young person about their mental health.
- How to use our practical, five-step ALGEE mental health action plan, so you have a clear process to follow, and can encourage a young person towards professional help and other supports.
- Approach crises effectively
- Listen non-judgmentally
- Give support and information
- Encourage professional help
- Encourage other support networks
- This workshop will cover a range of topics including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, psychosis, problematic substance abuse, non-suicidal self-injury, suicidal thoughts and behaviours, panic attacks, traumatic events and other situations.
Course Information
- 14-hour workshop in-person over two days, including a comprehensive workbooks and take home materials.
- A light lunch and refreshments will be provided. Please advise if you have specific dietary requirements.
- This is an accessible space, please advise us if you have any specific needs.
- Contact Sally for more information, accessibility and dietary requirements: manager@pathwanaka.org.nz
Who Should Attend
- Adults who support young rangitahi in our community facing mental health challenges.
- Note this course is not a therapy or support group or suitable for those under 18.
Register here through Humanitix.
Feedback from the February 2025 Mental Health First Aid course
Do you think this course will make a difference to the youth your work with and in your life, and in what way?
“Absolutely. Knowing where to point my young people when they need someone outside the whānau / inner circle to help them navigate the heavy stuff”
“Yes. It will help in my family life with two teenagers and in my work with Rangatahi in sport and coaching situations.”
“Yes – providing more awareness and insight on how to tackle youth mental health challenges”
“Yes, I can better recognise when rangatahi are struggling and how to have better conversations around said struggles.”
What was your key takeaway?
“Being able to have skills in how to talk with youth about these issues and how to make conversation around substances not about the substance use but about the rangatahi as a whole person.”
“Great overall recap on understanding and navigating youth mental health challenges. Great book resource provided.”
“That, while stretched, a number of resources + initiatives are available to our rangitahi + their parents / guardians to access when they’re in need of extra support . That there are good humans both locally + across the takiwā, dedicated to this important mahi.”
Overall – Additional comments
“Thanks to all the wonderful facilitators who ran the course for us and thank you to the catering, organisers and the facility for having us :).”
“I am very grateful for having been able to participate in this workshop and the presenters were fabulous.”
“Many thanks to Sally for her fabulous hospitality + catering + also to the lovely ladies facilitating both days. Ngā mihi nui kia koutou”.
Register here through Humanitix.
Note: We would like to acknowledge Karyn Munro (lead facilitator) and her team for presenting a very successful two day Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course to 20 adults in Wānaka in February 2025. Led by ‘OUT & About Wānaka’ and in conjunction with ‘Community Links’ , Path Wānaka is proud to have been asked to support and co-host this event again for 2025.
Got a great idea for an event? Let us know!
We’re here to help bring the right people and experts to our community in support of our youth. If you have an idea for a great topic or speaker, let the team at Path Wānaka Ara ki Wānaka know.