Mental Health Awareness Training
Find out what is available to you
The Staff Wellbeing Programme, Thriving at Oxford, and Student Welfare and Support Services are collaborating to offer mental health awareness training to staff. This intervention is based on the evidence-base and recommendations of Thriving at work, The Stevenson / Farmer review of mental health and employers, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline on Mental Wellbeing at Work, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) guidance and the University Mental Health Charter framework.
In the Staff Experience Survey 2025, over 1,000 of the respondents stated they were experiencing mental ill-health. University Occupational Health Service data reveals that anxiety and stress are the two biggest causes of referrals to the service which means the University needs to act now to support and promote the recovery of staff experiencing mental ill-health but more importantly to prevent further harm to staff.
| Live Well, Work Well: Taking care of your Mental Health at Work | Mental health awareness: supporting colleagues in the workplace training |
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| Duration: 90 minutes | Duration: Half-day - three hours |
| Cost: Free to all staff | Cost: Half-day, on-site training for up to 25 people: £620. Half day training, 3 Worcester Street: £62 per individual. |
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Content: This 90-minute interactive training session provides a foundational introduction to mental health awareness within the workplace. Participants will be introduced to evidence-based strategies for promoting psychological wellbeing, learn to recognise signs of poor mental health, understand the value of early intervention, and discover how prioritising self-care can make a lasting difference—both personally and professionally. This training is focused on looking at ways of protecting and maintaining your own mental health and well-being in the workplace. NB. If you are interested in learning more about how to support your colleagues in the workplace, or how to respond to students in distress, please see our other training offerings. |
Content: Mental health challenges are increasingly prevalent in the workplace, with approximately one in six adults experiencing symptoms related to mental ill health. This half-day training session provides participants with essential knowledge and practical skills to support mental wellbeing in the University context. The session provides practical guidance on recognising signs of mental distress and offers strategies for effectively supporting both personal wellbeing and that of colleagues who may be experiencing difficulties. Key topics include:
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Book as an individual |
Book as an individual |
To book training for your team or department, please email mha.training@admin.ox.ac.uk.
For further information, contact mha.training@admin.ox.ac.uk.
With a growing number of students in the UK reporting mental health difficulties, it is essential that staff are equipped to respond with confidence and consistency. In alignment with Oxford’s Student Wellbeing and Mental Health Strategy. This Mental Health Awareness training is offered to all staff to promote a unified and informed approach to student welfare. The training aims to enhance participants’ understanding of mental health challenges and strengthen their ability to support students in distress with empathy, clarity, and appropriate action.
This context-specific training provides practical guidance and skill development across the following key areas:
- Recognising and responding to common mental health presentations
- Understanding the spectrum of mental health and wellbeing
- How to have a well-being conversation
- Applying practical techniques to assist students in distress
- Identifying and managing risk, including self-harm and suicide
- Maintaining professional boundaries, information sharing and record keeping
- Guidance on when, where, and how to make appropriate referrals
Duration
This is a half-day training - 3 hours.
Audience
This training is aimed at any staff member who may encounter students in distress and who would like to feel more skilled and confident in such situations.
Cost
The fee for this half-day training is £62 per person, accessible twice-termly at 3 Worcester Street.
Or if booking this training for your team, the cost of the training for up to 25 participants is £620. Training can be delivered on site, on request.
To book
Book 30 October 1-4pm 3 Worcester Street
To book training for your team, please email MHA.training@admin.ox.ac.uk for further information.
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), 1.8 million workers experienced work-related ill health in 2022/23, with stress, depression, and anxiety comprising half of these cases. Managers play a key role in recognising and responding to signs of mental distress within their teams, and in fostering a psychologically safe and supportive work environment. This half-day training session is designed to equip managers with the knowledge and practical tools necessary to promote mental wellbeing, respond effectively to challenges, and contribute to a healthier workplace culture. These sessions are available to all line managers, supervisors and principal investigators.
Key topics include:
- Identifying and responding to mental health difficulties within teams.
- Understanding and managing workplace stress
- Implementing and supporting reasonable workplace adjustments
- Managing sickness absence and facilitating successful return-to-work processes
- Creating and sustaining a mentally healthy working environment
- Practising self-care for managers
It is highly recommended that you attend the MHA: Supporting Colleagues in the Workplace training before attending the Manager training.
Duration
This is a half-day training - 3 hours.
Audience
These sessions are available to all line managers, supervisors and principal investigators.
Cost
The fee for this half-day training is £62 per person and accessible twice-termly at 3 Worcester Street.
Or if booking this training for your team, the cost of the training for up to 25 participants is £620. Training can be delivered on site, on request.
To book
Book 21 October 1-4pm 3 Worcester Street
Book 13 November 10am-1pm 3 Worcester Street
To book for your team, please email mha.training@admin.ox.ac.uk
Mental health and wellbeing resources for staff
All the resources and services currently available through the Staff Wellbeing Programme are listed here.
Your wellbeing champion will be able to signpost you to these services and resources, find your wellbeing champion here.
If you do not have a wellbeing champion, or you have any other question, please contact wellbeing@admin.ox.ac.uk.
In addition, here are some extra resources:
- NHS: ‘Six ways to feel happier’: Guidance on managing low mood and depression
- Hub of Hope: nationwide mental health database, which brings help and support together in one place
- Access to Work Mental Health Support Service: provides confidential and vocational support for employees with mental illness to retain/regain their ability to participate at work
- Health and Safety Executive's guidance on Managing stress at work
- Mind: National voluntary organisation with a range of information and advice
- NHS Oxfordshire Talking Therapies: a free, confidential NHS service for adults in Oxfordshire, for people when they're feeling stressed, anxious or low
- NHS self-help leaflets on a range of mental health issues
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please find resources tailored to your situation here.
Mental health and wellbeing resources for staff supporting students
- Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM)
- Oxford University Student Counselling Service
- Student Disability Advisory Service
- Hub of Hope: nationwide mental health database, which brings help and support together in one place
- Mind: National voluntary organisation with a range of information and advice
- Oxford Nightline: independent listening, support and information service run for and by students of Oxford and Oxford Brookes Universities
- Saneline: national out-of-hours mental health helpline
Extra resources for managers
Contact us
Meet the team
Frances Parkes – Wellbeing Programme Manager
Dr Ruth Collins - Staff Mental Health Training Service Lead
Bettina Kelemen - Staff Mental Health Awareness and Wellbeing Trainer
