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section nine - Create a sufficient and competent workforce
Mental Health reform demands new staff roles and responsibilities.The whole range of staff and volunteers across all the sectors need to be offered training opportunities to help develop their expertise.
Mental Health Promotion - Principles & Practice
A 12-week UUJ accredited course on Mental Health Promotion—Principles and Practice was delivered in the spring and summer semesters of 2004. The course was commissioned by the Health Promotion Department of the Southern Health and Social Services Board. The students came form a variety of backgrounds such as social work, nursing, teaching and health promotion.
Students who successfully completed the module are picture (right) with Dr.
Stephen Bergin, Public Health Consultant, SHSSB; Professor David
Bamford, Chairman, NIAMH; Judith Lee, Director of Education,
NIAMH and course tutor, Deirdre McNamee, Mental Health
Promotion Manager, SHSSB
The course is fully accredited awarding 20 Credits at Level D.
The overall aim of the course was to;
Help enhance the existing knowledge and skills base of
social care professionals to enable them to carry out
developmental work in the field of mental health promotion.
Objectives of the course included the following;
- To explore existing theories of mental health and health promotion by introducing participants to various conceptual frameworks.
- To develop the participants’ understanding and range of skills relevant to mental health promotion.
- To explore broader societal issues and environmental factors.
- To provide participants with an awareness of current community programmes of care in various settings
- To explore ‘best practice’ in relation to mental health promotion.
- To give practical guidance on how to design and deliver a mental health promotion programme.
Programme
Key Principles and Definitions in Relation to Mental Heath
Mental Health - Key Determinants
Environmental and Social Issues
Mental Health Promotion and Prevention
Research Effectiveness Review
Strategic Planning
Values in Helping/Self Awareness
Being a good Listener
Building Emotional Resilience
Needs Assessment
A Framework for Mental Health Promotion
Evaluation
As well as immediate feedback via student questionnaires, a sixth month longitudinal evaluation was carried out to assess the impact of the course for individuals’ work.
Summarised below are some of the students’ views:
- All students felt the course met their expectations and in some cases surpassed expectations
- All students agreed that the course had a definite impact on their practice in terms of awareness,raising need perspectives
- The majority commented on feeling a sense of increased confidence in practical terms
- All agreed the course would be of great benefit to others
Certificate in Community Care
 Sally Meighan |
 Geraldine Spiers |
At the end of 2004 seven members of staff and one volunteer successfully completed the Certificate in Community Mental Health Care. This course provides the underpinning knowledge for NVQ level III and introduces learners to the main forms of mental ill heath, the impact on individuals, interventions and approaches to supporting service users. It was well received by participants and a further 12 people have signed up for the course this year. Pictured (left) are some of the successful candidates, Sally Meighan, Geraldine Spiers, Lorraine Walker and Sharon Williamson, being presented with their certificates at the Annual Conference, by the Chairman, Professor David Bamford. |
 Lorraine Walker |
 Sharon Williamson |
Induction and Foundation Framework
The Association’s new Induction and Foundation
Framework, a tool designed to enable new staff to develop
the knowledge, skills and values essential for social care
staff working in a mental health setting, has achieved
accreditation with the Open College Network and
received an award from the Cash Grant Scheme operated
by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public
Safety. These grants are awarded to projects that result in
better care and support for service users.
Pictured (right) is Edward Wilson accepting the award on behalf of NIAMH. From left Noel McCann, DHSSPS;Anne O’Drien, SI Social Care Governance Scheme; Edward Wilson, Service Manager - NIAMH, and Caroline Cullen, SHSSB.