Helping people with mental health issues will be the focus of a series of one-day training events.
Mental Health First Aid is being organised jointly by the Church in Wales and the Institute of Rural Health for clergy and lay people.
Revd Carol Wardman, Bishops’ advisor for Church and Society, said, “Whether it’s someone who wanders in during a service or turns up on the doorstep in distress, or a member of the congregation with a known mental health diagnosis, or a person you’re starting to worry about – most clergy and lay church leaders will have the experience of dealing with someone with a mental health issue. And then there’s the important but all-too-often overlooked factor of looking after yourself, in the midst of taking on other people’s problems, and the ever-increasing demands of the workload.
“We hope this course will raise people’s awareness of mental health issues and provide a basic introduction in how to care for people in need.”
The first courses will be as follows:
February 2, 2012
Three Wells Hotel, Chapel Road, Howey, Llandrindod Wells, Powys, LD1 5SP
February 9, 2012
The Haliwell Conference Centre, Trinity College, Carmarthen, SA31 3EP~
The cost will be £15 per person. Registration forms can be dowloaded at:
http://www.churchinwales.org.uk/pressres/2FebMHC-en.pdf
Note:
One in four people will experience a mental health problem in any year. Mental health problems like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia can affect anyone at any time, and it’s likely that many people in your congregation have been affected. As a result churches in the British Isles are focusing on the issue of mental health. The Church of England’s mental health group and Revd Eva McIntyre have teamed up with Time to Change to create a pack for churches, providing ideas and resources for churches to plan worship on the theme of mental health.