Did you know that 9 Australians die every day by suicide?
Three quarters of those are male.
The suicide rate in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is twice that of their non-Indigenous counterparts, and members of the LGBTQI+ community attempt suicide at 10 times the rate of the general Australian population.
In our nation gripped by a mental health crisis, there is a pressing need for every industry to step up and play a role in addressing this issue. As leaders in the fitness industry, you have the power to make a significant difference in the lives of your staff and customers. One way to do so is by investing in Mental Health Training for your team. Being better equipped to recognise and assist with someone’s mental health is a life skill they can call upon when working with their clients, their colleagues, their friends and family – maybe even themselves.
Mental Health Training in the Workplace
The key to preventing long-term mental health complications and potential suicide is early intervention. The passionate experts at The Rise Foundation offer a range of mental health training programs that can be delivered in the workplace. Their Mental Health Response course is hands-on, practical, and aims to help participants support someone experiencing mental health issues.
The Rise Foundation’s MHR course is now accredited through Fitness Australia for CEC and with Exercise and Sports Science Australia for CPD points. The training will leave your staff able to recognise behaviour changes and offer an informed response and appropriate support to people who may be experiencing mental health issues including depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. The Rise Foundation’s team have stripped everything they can from what was initially a 2-day Mental Health First Aid course into just 4 hours, in order to make the training more accessible for employers to schedule in for their employees and remove barriers for people who otherwise couldn’t commit to being able to attend the course. It’s the absolute nuts and bolts of what you need to know in order to best recognise and respond to someone who us experiencing mental health challenges.
The full 12-hour Mental Health First Aid course is also available for a deeper level of understanding and covers a broader range of mental health issues. The MHFA course provides participants with a copy of the Standard MHFA Manual and a Certificate of Completion.
Image courtesy of The Rise Foundation Australia.
Who are The Rise Foundation?
Led by Australia Day Award Winner and qualified mental health trainer Ben Higgs, The Rise Foundation Australia is a passionate team of experts, including Erin, Shaun, and Robbie, who are experienced Mental Health First Aid and Mental Health Response trainers. Through their evidence-based technical expertise and personal insights from lived experiences, they empower businesses, communities, and individuals in suicide prevention and mental health wellbeing. With a commitment to making a positive impact, The Rise Foundation Australia equips others with the essential skills and knowledge to support mental health, driving positive change across Australia.
Ben Higgs is far from your ordinary trainer delivering “death-by-Powerpoint” style presentations. With over 30 years experience in living with a mental illness, he is real, raw, and honest with his audience. Ben’s primary focus lies in educating and equipping individuals with practical tools, empowering them to break the silence surrounding mental illness and poor mental health. He’s a “what you see is what you get” kind of guy and his passion for better mental health education is obvious.
A wharfie and crane driver by trade, Ben became involved in community events around mental health awareness, but realised the glaring need for more education around mental health. The Rise Foundation was born and grew into a reputable training body, delivering Mental Health First Aid training to police officers, miners, corporates and school children. Ben collaborates with reputable organisations such as Suicide Prevention Australia and Black Dog Institute as well as engaging in community events. Ben’s expertise in the mental health space has lead him to speak at the United States National Conference on behavioural health and the International Bi Polar Foundation International Conference.
The ties between physical and mental fitness:
Team member, Shaun Hockley has had his own lived experience with mental health challenges. After a career in the building industry ended back in 2009, he fell into a downward spiral of depression and self-doubt using alcohol and drugs to run away from his problems. After being given an ultimatum by his wife and young children, Shaun called a friend who was a state champion boxer and asked to train for a boxing match. This lead to Shaun wanting to help others and a new career path in fitness, opening his own gym, Reborn Fitness & Wellbeing. Over the past 10 years Shaun and his team have helped thousands of people change and maintain their lives in health and fitness.
Through their personal journeys and commitment to authenticity, the team at The Rise Foundation are making a profound impact, empowering individuals to face mental health challenges head-on and fostering a society where silence is replaced by open dialogue and support.
Benefits of providing mental health training in your fitness business:
Being fit and healthy reaches beyond the physical and includes mental health too. Working in the fitness industry requires a high level of connection between trainers and clients. Loss of motivation, changing lifestyle patterns, compulsive training behaviours and unusual displays of emotion can all be indicators of someone who may be struggling with their mental health. For some clients, the time they spend at the gym or with a PT might be the only place they feel safe or get a break from other stressors in life. Early intervention by an informed fitness professional can be crucial in helping someone navigate challenges in mental health and hopefully avoid a full blown crisis.
Some of the reasons you should consider organising mental health training in your workplace include:
Empowering your staff by equipping them with knowledge and skills to identify and respond to mental health challenges;
Building empathy and confidence among your team and creating a supportive network for staff and clients alike. This training helps to foster a supportive culture by prioritising mental health and well-being within your workplace;
Enhancing your member’s experience through extending care and support to your clients’ mental well-being and being able to recognise and respond appropriately to signs of distress. This is imperative if you’re aiming to create an inclusive fitness community where everyone can thrive;
Reducing stigma and breaking down barriers and challenging the misconceptions surrounding mental health. Every one of us that develops a deeper level of empathy and understanding contributes to a more accepting and supportive society.
Saving lives. Recognising the potential life-threatening nature of mental health challenges and being able to providing early intervention and support for those in need makes you and your staff a vital lifeline within your community.
The statistics at the top of this article show the urgency in addressing mental health in our society. If you like the idea of building a future where mental health thrives within the fitness industry, as well as investing in the success and longevity of your business through mental health prioritization, reach out to The Rise Foundation.
Statistics drawn from Lifeline: https://www.lifeline.org.au/resources/data-and-statistics/
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