We all have mental health, and we all experience it in our own way. The important question is: do you recognise the signs, or do you push them aside and carry on?

Mental health shapes our everyday lives, which is why taking care of it matters more than we often realise. Here at Orwell, we have a total of 36 Mental Health First Aiders among our colleagues, with a further 7 on a waiting list for our 2026 course. Mental Health First Aiders play an important role in creating a safe, responsive environment where people can feel seen and supported.

 

The value of Mental Health First Aiders in the workplace

• They make mental health visible by normalising conversations that might otherwise stay hidden.
• They provide immediate support by listening without judgement, offer reassurance and guide people towards professional help.

 

Some of our Mental Health First Aiders recently completed their refresher training with insight2mentalhealth, an organisation founded by Jo Wood in 2020 after witnessing the mental health challenges faced by NHS staff during Covid‑19 and reflecting on her own experience of burnout in 2018.

Mental health first aider training equips colleagues with the in-depth knowledge needed to become mental health aware providing wellbeing support and signposting to colleagues.

Shannon, a Team Leader at one of our Temporary Supported Housing schemes that works with homeless young people shares her thoughts after completing the training:

“I found the training very beneficial in my own perception of mental health support.  I am now much more aware of the importance of the Mental Health First Aider role and how much support is on offer in the wider community.  I feel better equipped to lead in a crisis and really enjoyed the safe environment of the training.”

Michelle, Director of People and Culture at Orwell also shares her reflections on the training course:

“The most recent session continues to cement our commitment to training Mental Health First Aiders within Orwell.  Our aim is to train as many people as possible to ensure that we have a high level of awareness, minimise any stigma, create an open environment where everyone talks freely about mental health and train a group of people who are there to support their colleagues and signpost to further help.  The session was enjoyable, informative and really supports knowledge and confidence around supporting mental health.”

Here at Orwell, we are committed to being advocates for mental health. We aim to encourage open conversations that support our colleagues and inspire other organisations to embrace mental health first aid training.

 

Where to access support?

Support is available across Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex for anyone who is suffering from mental health, whether it’s yourself or someone you know.

Suffolk Mind

Website: Suffolk Mind - Suffolk's independent mental health charity

Suffolk County Council

Website: Mental health and wellbeing - Suffolk County Council

The Chas Foundation

Website: The CHAS Foundation — Mental Illness Family Support

 

To learn more about working in a culture that supports wellbeing at every level, please visit: Work with us | Orwell Housing