MHFA: Supporting Youth
Empower youth mental wellness
Help young people navigate mental health challenges with understanding and support.
MHFA Supporting Youth gives adults practical knowledge and skills for supporting young people experiencing a decline in mental well-being or a mental health or substance use crisis. The course uses youth-specific scenarios, discussions, activities, videos, and current research to place MHFA skills in situations relevant to adolescents and young adults.
Who is it for? Suited for parents, guardians, educators, coaches, youth workers, and others who support young people.
Through the course, participants will learn to:
Participants learn to recognize changes in mental well-being, start supportive conversations, reduce stigma and barriers to help-seeking, and connect young people with appropriate supports. The course takes a recovery-oriented approach focused on listening, responding without judgment, and supporting recovery rather than diagnosing or counselling.
Recognize
changes
Identify changes suggesting a young person is experiencing declining mental well-being or a mental health or substance use crisis.
Explore
supports
Discuss professional, community, family, and other supports linked to recovery and improved mental well-being.
Start supportive conversations
Approach a young person, listen without judgment, and create space for a supportive conversation about mental health or substance use.
Respond to crisis situations
Use MHFA actions when a young person experiences a mental health or substance use crisis.
Course structured for impact
MHFA Supporting Youth is a live, facilitator-led course designed for adults who support young people. The updated course places greater emphasis on a recovery-oriented approach. Participants focus on understanding what they observe, responding without judgment, reducing stigma, and supporting young people without diagnosing or counselling.
- Youth mental health and early intervention
- Stigma, help-seeking, and navigating the mental health system
- Respectful and non-stigmatizing communication
- Youth-specific scenarios and discussions
- De-escalation strategies and barriers to care
- Supporting declining mental health
- Mental health and substance use crisis situations
- Suicide and self-harm
- Applying ALGES when supporting youth
- Self-care for Mental Health First Aiders
Course format
6 hours of live instructional time
Facilitator-led delivery • Virtual or in person • No self-paced online module • No pre-work
Course schedule
Flexible scheduling
Complete the course in one day or across two sessions scheduled within a two-week period. Mandatory breaks sit outside the six hours of instructional time.
Certificate
Certificate of participation
Participants who complete the full course receive a certificate of participation. MHFA Supporting Youth does not lead to MHFA Certification.
Learn how to use ALGES
ALGES is a simple, and essential Action Plan that helps a Mental Health First Aider provide support until professional help is available.
- Approach the person, assess, and assist with any crisis
- Listen and communicate non-judgmentally
- Give reassurance and information
- Encourage the person to reach out to supports
- Self-care for the first aider
Live delivery options
- Virtual Classes: Live, facilitator-led session for 8 to 15 participants
- In-Person Classes: Live, facilitator-led session for 8 to 25 participants
Pricing Information
- Starts from $250 per person
- Looking for dedicated training for your team? We provide private group solutions with customized pricing. Contact us for details.
- MHFA courses are also available from independent facilitators who set their own rates. These rates may differ from those listed above.
Become a Certified MHFA Facilitator
Facilitator Certification Training is for people who want to deliver MHFA courses in communities, workplaces, or organizations. Certified MHFA Facilitators join the Opening Minds Facilitator Community, with more than 1,000 members across Canada.
Mental Health First Aid Case Studies
Learn more about how MHFA is helping to transform mental wellness in organizations across Canada.
