Mental Health First Aid Course For Industry CEOs & Senior Leaders Launches  

Mental Health First Aid Course For Industry CEOs & Senior Leaders Launches   

The Mentally Healthy Change Group has launched a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training course specifically for senior leaders and CEOs in the media, marketing and creative industry.

The Mentally Healthy 2020 study conducted by Everymind, Never Not Creative and UnLtd earlier this year highlighted the need for educated and empathetic leaders who lead by example, as a key driver for improving mental health in the workplace.

The virtual course across two days will equip leaders with the knowledge and practical skills to recognise signs of mental ill-health, help colleagues and friends experiencing mental ill-health and to actively reduce stigma around mental health in their workplace.

The launch coincides with R U OK Day on 10 September and its 2020 theme of ‘there’s more to say after R U OK’. Nina Nyman, CMO at UnLtd and Co-Chair of the Mentally Healthy Change Group said:

“Many of us avoid asking others how they are for the fear of the response and not being able to say or do the right thing. The MHFA course will help give leaders the confidence to have those conversations and to know what to say if someone is not okay. Just like the Antibiotics aid courses, it gives you the skills and knowledge to potentially save someone’s life.”

The course will be delivered online by Chloe Hooper, Head of Growth and Marketing, Regional Lead at PHD and member of the Mentally Healthy Change Group who is a qualified mental health first aid trainer and has already trained over 130 people across the industry in mental health first aid.

Chloe Hooper said: “When we launched the first training courses last year, we were overwhelmed by the response – the courses filled up in a day! It’s fantastic that we can bring this course to our senior leaders this year to help create positive ripple effects across many organisations, especially at such a challenging time. Doing the course in small groups of other senior leaders will also give the participants a chance to openly share and learn from each other’s’ experiences.”

Participants already confirmed for the course include Adrian Farouk, CEO of Digitas ANZ; Andrew Little, CEO of DDB Group; Chiquita King, Managing Director of Coffee Cocoa Gunpowder; Chris Freel, CEO of UnLtd; Laura Aldington, CEO of Host/Havas; Jack Byrne, Managing Director of Hatched Media; James Bayes, General Manager ANZ of The Trade Desk; Jim Gall, CEO of Clemenger BBDO Melbourne Group & CEO of Clemenger Group New Zealand; Louie Skinner, Managing Director of Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness; Margie Reid, CEO of Thinkerbell; Mark Jarrett, CEO of PHD; Melinda Geertz, CEO of Leo Burnett; Melissa Fein, CEO of Initiative; Paul Sigaloff, Managing Director ANZ of Verizon Media; Peter Butler, Managing Director of Spark Foundry; Skye Lambley, Group Managing Director of HerdMSL; Stephen McArdle, CEO of BMF and Simone Gupta, CEO of One Green Bean.

Jim Gall, CEO of Clemenger BBDO Melbourne Group and CEO of Clemenger Group New Zealand said: “We lost a colleague last year in NZ to suicide and it was one of the most difficult, yet profound experiences I have ever been through as a leader.  In these challenging times, mental health is not just a hygiene factor, it must be seen as an absolute business priority in balancing performance with empathy and cultural competency.”

The course requirements include 10 hours of online self-study, 2 x 2.5 hour Zoom training sessions and a final online exam. The course will run twice – Group 1 on 29 & 30 Oct and Group 2 on 5 & 6 Nov. There is an admin fee of $55 and participants who successfully pass their online exam will receive an official Mental Health First Aid certification.

Mark Jarrett, CEO of PHD commented: “Given the times we’re living in, being able to recognise signs of mental illness and to offer the right support is more important than ever. This is a great practical way for the leaders in our industry to come together to tackle mental illness in our industry. I’m looking forward to learning more about the topic and I hope to see many of my fellow leaders on the course.”

Places are limited, to book your spot, please visit:

Group 1 (29 Oct & 30 Oct): https://events.humanitix.com/mental-health-first-aid-for-leaders-group-1

Group 2 (5 & 6 Nov): https://events.humanitix.com/mental-health-first-aid-for-leaders-group-2

If you or someone you care about needs support, please contact:

Lifeline 13 11 14

Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467

MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78

Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636

 




Please login with linkedin to comment

    Latest comments
    1. Fantastic initiative, well done Mentally Healthy Change Group. I gained the MFHA certificate in 2012 and have had most of the community management team at Quiip gain it (or similar). It is a course that will serve you through life, and I applaud that so many other CEOs have committed to undertake the training.

mentally healthy r u ok?

Latest News

After Google Search Spike, Reddit Shares Jump 14% In First Quarterly Results Since IPO
  • Technology

After Google Search Spike, Reddit Shares Jump 14% In First Quarterly Results Since IPO

Reddit shares are on the up after the website released its first quarterly results since its IPO in March. Reddit’s revenue beat expectations coming in at $243 million vs the $212.8 million expected by LSEG. The site’s ad revenue increase put it firmly ahead of its competitors: Reddit reported $222.7 million in ad revenue for […]

Gippsland Dairy Celebrates The Deliciousness Of Patience With ‘Slow Good’ Platform Via Special
  • Advertising
  • Campaigns

Gippsland Dairy Celebrates The Deliciousness Of Patience With ‘Slow Good’ Platform Via Special

Gippsland Dairy Yogurt is launching a new brand platform this week celebrating the unique, time-consuming process by which it is crafted. “In a category and industry focused on quick production and lowest cost, Gippsland Dairy has been able to retain its award-winning texture and taste by keeping true to its unique production method. We’re thrilled […]

Let Them Eat Cake: Cashed-Up Professionals Are Back In CBDs And Airports And They Want Their Audis
  • Media

Let Them Eat Cake: Cashed-Up Professionals Are Back In CBDs And Airports And They Want Their Audis

Offices and airports have become key hubs for social connectivity and brand engagement for today’s affluent business professionals, exclusive new research from oOh!media has found. In the post pandemic era, the study ‘A Professional Perspective’ by strategic consumer insights consultancy Nature, revealed 83 per cent of business professionals say while hybrid work is the new […]

Mariah Carey Lends Her Inimitable Voice to ‘Portrait of a Portrait’, Audible’s Latest ‘Words + Music’ Installment
  • Advertising

Mariah Carey Lends Her Inimitable Voice to ‘Portrait of a Portrait’, Audible’s Latest ‘Words + Music’ Installment

Audible announced that Mariah Carey’s ‘Words+Music‘ installment, ‘Portrait of a Portrait’, will debut on Thursday, May 23, exclusively from Audible. In the 40th volume of Audible’s franchise, the best-selling, award-winning visionary will immerse listeners in an enchanting Butterfly Lounge session that is not only an unparalleled auditory experience, but a masterclass in the art of […]

AiMCO Announces New Member Webinar To Deep-dive Into The Intricacies Of Influencer Agreements
  • Advertising
  • Marketing

AiMCO Announces New Member Webinar To Deep-dive Into The Intricacies Of Influencer Agreements

The Australian influencer marketing council (AiMCO) announced its new ‘Influencer Agreements 101’ webinar – a deep-dive into influencer agreements between brands and influencers, or their agencies. Lead image: Tegan Boorman, guiding council chair, AIMCO. The webinar, to be held on May 14, will explore the intricacies of legal and contractual agreements between brands, agencies and […]

TikTok’s Head Of People AUNZ Laura Chuck Leaves After Nearly 4 Years
  • Technology

TikTok’s Head Of People AUNZ Laura Chuck Leaves After Nearly 4 Years

TikTok’s head of people for Australia and New Zealand Laura Chuck has left after nearly four years in the role. In an emotional LinkedIn post, Chuck said “It’s with mixed emotions that I bid farewell to my incredible journey at TikTok, where I’ve spent nearly four incredible years”. Chuck joined TikTok in June 2020 and was […]

News Corp Australia Gets Ready For D_Coded 2024
  • Media

News Corp Australia Gets Ready For D_Coded 2024

News Corp Australia will be unveiling transformative solutions to navigating today’s rapidly changing digital landscape at the company’s annual D_Coded event next week. Over two days in Sydney and Melbourne, a series of live presentations and product announcements will outline how brands can gain a strategic advantage, build stronger customer relationships and achieve long-term growth. […]

Ideally Continues high growth trajectory, appoints senior marketing lead
  • Marketing

Ideally Continues high growth trajectory, appoints senior marketing lead

Ideally has appointed international brand marketer Maura Halpin to the newly created role of marketing lead, effective immediately. The appointment comes at a pivotal time in the brand’s ambitious growth strategy following its launch in August 2023. Since launch Ideally has announced a $2.15m seed investment has grown to nearly 20 staff across Australia and […]

Feel-Good Gin! The Oasis Committee And Spirit of Little Things Collab On Charity Gin
  • Campaigns

Feel-Good Gin! The Oasis Committee And Spirit of Little Things Collab On Charity Gin

The Oasis Committee in partnership with Spirit of Little Things has created the perfect bottle of gin for every media office bar cart with all proceeds from the signature gin to go towards Oasis Project and Western Australia’s disadvantaged youth. The Oasis Committee is focused on leveraging the power of the WA advertising and communications […]

Shot of a young programmer working at his computer with an overlay of computer graphics
  • Media

Media-Wize Wins AUSCERT PR Account

Media-Wize calls itself "a media training and technology and cyber security PR agency". Think nerds with better hair.

Concrete Playground Debuts Innovative Urban Exploration Platform With Lexus As Launch Partner
  • Advertising

Concrete Playground Debuts Innovative Urban Exploration Platform With Lexus As Launch Partner

Concrete Playground announced the launch of its redesigned website in partnership with Lexus. This partnership introduces a new era of urban discovery, enabling a deeper, more intuitive engagement with cities through a state-of-the-art digital platform. Revolutionised Digital Experience Concrete Playground’s website has undergone a significant transformation, designed to enhance the way users interact with their […]