Mental Health Awareness Training
Find out what is available to you
The Staff Wellbeing Programme, Thriving at Oxford, and the 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.
Training in Mental Health Awareness is now available to all staff across the University. Colleges may purchase training at cost. Explore the training available to you below.
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.
There are two training options available, for more details and booking, please see below.
| Foundational mental health awareness training | Mental health awareness: supporting colleagues in the workplace training |
|---|---|
| Duration: 90 minutes | Duration: Both half and full-day trainings are available, which are typically delivered on-site, for between 15 – 25 participants. |
| Cost: Free to all staff | Cost: Half-day training £600. Full day £1200. Twice termly half-day trainings are offered at 3 Worcester Street at a fee of £60 per individual. |
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Content: This training is a basic introduction to mental health awareness overviewing the following: the importance of mental health awareness in the workplace; indicators of poor mental health; the importance of early intervention; the importance of self-care and strategies for maintaining good mental health; cultivating a healthy working environment. This training is focused on protecting your own mental health. Other trainings are available for staff supporting colleagues and staff supporting students. |
Content: This more comprehensive training will provide an overview of common mental health presentations in the workplace along with guidance on how to respond to colleagues in distress, whilst clarifying role expectations and managing boundaries. The importance of confidentiality and record keeping will also be explored as will the management of risk, including the risk of self-harm and suicide. There will also be discussion of context specific case studies along with an overview of strategies which contribute to the development of a safe and healthy working environment. |
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Book as an individual Booking links coming soon |
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.
There are an increasing number of students in the UK reporting mental health difficulties. Whilst the causes of poor student mental health may not always be related to academic studies, ensuring that students seeking mental health support are appropriately supported requires an institution wide approach.
Mental Health Awareness training (MHA): supporting students in distress is now being offered to all staff at Oxford to promote a consistent approach to student welfare, in line with the Student Wellbeing and Mental Health Strategy. The aim of the training is to speak directly to the specific needs of student-facing staff, helping them to feel more skilled and confident when encountering students in distress. This context specific training provides guidance on how to recognise and respond to common mental health presentations, issues of risk, including the risk of self-harm and suicide, managing boundaries and confidentiality. Important information on signposting to appropriate support services is also explored.
Duration
Both half and full-day trainings are available, which are typically delivered on-site, for between 15 – 25 participants.
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
Half-day training £600. Full day £1200. Twice termly half-day trainings are offered at 3 Worcester Street at a fee of £60 per individual.
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.
The Health and Safety Executive state that work-based stress is responsible for approximately 40% of mental and physical health problems in the UK. Statistics from 2022/23 reveal that 1.8 million workers reported that they were suffering from work-related ill health, half of which were attributed to cases of stress, depression and anxiety. Managers have a role to play in terms of identifying and responding supportively to signs of stress and mental health difficulties in their teams and to making the workplace a healthier and safer environment.
This workshop will provide an overview of common mental health presentations in the workplace, along with guidance on: how to recognise and respond to mental health difficulties in your team; managing team stress; mental health at work and the law; making workplace adjustments; managing sickness absence and the return to work; the role of the line-manager in cultivating a healthy working environment; self-care for managers.
It is highly recommended that you attend the Workplace training - supporting colleagues in the workplace training before attending the manager training.
Duration
This is a half-day training.
Audience
These sessions are available to all line managers, supervisors and principal investigators.
Cost
The fee for this half-day training is £60 per person.
Or if booking this training for your team, the cost of the training for up to 25 participants is £600.
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
Please see below our Masterclass Programme for Michaelmas Term 2025. These psychoeducational workshops offer a ‘deep dive’ into a particular aspect of mental health. The aim is to help staff feel more equipped and confident when supporting students or colleagues in distress. There is a fee of £40 for attendance at each of the workshops.
Booking links are available below and more information about each session is available here.
For further information, please email mha.training@admin.ox.ac.uk.
Dates and topics
Coming soon
All workshops will take place at 3 Worcester Street, OX1 2BX
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
