If you are a Mental Health First Aider and it has been three years since your training, it's time to refresh your skills!

Those who completed Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) in 2022 are now due for a refresher to remain an accredited MHFAider. We will be hosting a refresher course on Wednesday 17th September (via Zoom) from 10am – 2pm.

If you are a Mental Health First Aider, you have skills for life that support you and the people around you. We believe that mental health should be treated equally to physical health and just like physical first aid, MHFA training should be kept up to date. It is recommended by MHFA England that skills are refreshed every three years.

This 4-hour Refresher course will empower you to:

  • Keep your awareness of mental health supports current
  • Update your knowledge of mental health and what influences it
  • Practice applying the Mental Health First Aid action plan
  • Access three years of MHFAider® support and benefits

Refreshing your qualification will also allow you to join Membership body, The Association of Mental Health First Aiders, accessing its support and further learning

The session costs £150 per person. You do not have to have completed your original training with Music Support to do the refresher with us.

If you have any questions or would like to register to join please contact us by end of play on Friday 12th September.

Please note that if you completed your original MHFA training 3.5 years ago without a refresher your accreditation is no longer valid and you will need to do the full course again.

For further information or questions on any of our courses please contact us on learning@musicsupport.org. 

At Music Support, we believe in change through education, learning and practice. Knowledge, new skills and a change of attitude towards mental health, including how we talk about it, how it is viewed in our industry and how we support those experiencing mental ill-health is vital if we are to thrive. We have trained over 900 industry peers in MHFA since 2019, with more people than ever accessing our courses in 2024.  With employers and freelancers recognising the need to promote better mental health in the music industry, our ambition is that every place of work and tour has a Mental Health First Aider.  

Meet your Music Support MHFA Refresher Instructor

Davey Shields

Learning and Development Practitioner  

Davey has over 10 years’ experience working in TV, Film and The Arts as well as extensive expertise working in the Mental Health and Wellbeing Third Sector where he set up his own charity, ‘MenTalkHealth.’ He has also worked with numerous established mental health organisations, such as See Me Scotland and Time to Change.

Having started his career as a public speaker and podcast host, Davey continues to share his own lived experience of managing his Generalised Anxiety Disorder and ADHD and the impact it has on his mental health.

His passion to increase mental health literacy in his community led to him being shortlisted for a National Diversity Award. He is an accredited Mental Health First Aid trainer as well as a creator of bespoke mental health and wellbeing training for those in the creative industries and marginalised communities

Hannah Brinley

Learning and Development Specialist.

Hannah is a highly skilled learning and development professional with extensive experience of delivering group focused learning. She specialises in mental health, addiction, CBT and mindfulness. Prior to joining Music Support, Hannah spent five years working for Forward Trust, a leading UK addiction charity, delivering group training for staff in a variety of drug and alcohol services, including high security prisons, resettlement prisons, residential rehabs, and community drop-in services across the UK.

One learner who attended a recent MHFA Refresher with Davey said, “Davey was a great instructor and applied his experience as a neurodivergent person wonderfully. I often feel misunderstood in the way I communicate, but Davey made space for questions regarding this and reassured me on communication differences.”

Read more testimonials for Davey and our Learning and Development team here.