Blue Light

SUPPORTING 999 TEAMS’ MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS 

WHAT IS BLUE LIGHT? 

  • BLUE LIGHT is a programme of training courses aimed at reducing stigma, promoting wellbeing and improving mental health support for those working or volunteering in the ambulance, fire, police, coast, cave and mountain and search and rescue services.
  • Developed between 2015 and 2019 the training programme has had a significant impact on how positive staff and volunteers feel about mental health, in particular about how far their organisations encourage them to talk about mental health and support people with mental health problems.
  • Mind Aberystwyth is delivering Blue Light training courses in the Dyfed Powys area.

See below for a video demonstrating the impact of Mind’s Blue Light programme:

WHY BLUE LIGHT? 

  • One-in-four of us will experience a mental health problem in any given year. 
  • Mind research shows 87.57% of emergency services personnel have experienced stress and poor mental health in their work – prevalence could be higher due to the challenging nature of their roles. (2015)
  • In early 2019 Mind conducted the Mental Health in the Emergency Services Survey, a follow up to a survey held in 2015, and found that poor mental health continues to be an issue: 
  • The number of staff and volunteers reporting good or very good mental health is 45% (down from 53% in 2015) 
  • The number reporting poor mental health has increased to 21% (from 14% in 2015) 
  • Excessive workload continues to top the list of factors contributing to people feeling mentally unwell or stressed.   
  • Trauma is now cited by many as a source of pressure. 
  • Perceptions of mental health are more positive among those who had involvement in the Blue Light Programme compared with those who didn’t.

BLUE LIGHT TRAINING FROM MIND ABERYSTWYTH 

Blue Light training from Mind Aberystwyth can support emergency services in: 

  • Tackling Stigma
  • Encouraging staff and volunteers to talk about mental health 
  • Empowering staff and volunteers to lead change 
  • Making support accessible
  • Building resilience  

We deliver tailored training sessions including:

999 Call Handlers 

Supporting personnel with mental health awareness, resilience and supporting callers with mental health problems 

Managing Mental Health in the Emergency Services:

Tailored to each emergency service, this is for anyone who is a line manager, team leader or has a pastoral role. 

New Recruits:

Helping personnel of under three years’ service to become more aware and how to take care of their mental health 

Peer Support:

What peer support is, how it can help and what how it can be used to support a colleague 

Building Resilience in the Emergency Services:

Practical ways to deal with stress, anxiety and difficult emotions: increasing awareness of mental health and resilience building; and introducing tools and techniques to help build your resilience.

Trauma Awareness:

Raising awareness and learning more about trauma and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. 

WHY MIND ABERYSTWYTH? 

Mind Aberystwyth has fifteen years’ experience of supporting those affected by mental health and was one of the local Minds to deliver the original Blue Light programme between 2015 and 2018.  Mind Aberystwyth offers friendly and accessible services including tenancy support, health and wellbeing activities, mental health advice and guidance, a weekly drop-in and the renowned Side by Side Cymru peer support network supporting community groups across West Wales.  Our qualified Blue Light trainer has ten years’ experience of delivering accredited and non-accredited training courses in the third sector including substance misuse, peer support and mental health. 

Learner comments from training previously delivered by Mind Aberystwyth: 

Very much made me think about what I do & how I can do it better. Feel part of a wider community of support 

Engaging, variety of information and topics 

 Approachability and informative, friendly, positive”. 

Contact the Blue Light Project Worker @ Mind Aberystwyth to find out further details.  Prices on request, block booking discounts available. 

Bluelight@mindaberystwyth.org 

07958788172 / 01970 626225 

Mindaberystwyth.org