Mental Health First Aid®

Empower Your Team With a Mental Health First Aid® Course

When a team member shows signs of burnout, experiences anxiety, or faces a mental crisis at work, do you know how to respond confidently? With more adults than ever struggling with mental health challenges, having a skilled team of Mental Health First Aiders® in your workplace isn’t just beneficial; it’s essential to building psychologically safe, high-performing teams. Proudly working in conjunction with Te Pou, the national license holder of Mental Health First Aid® Aotearoa, we are now delivering MHFA® courses nationally across various delivery modes, including face-to-face, online, and hybrid courses.

As a leading accredited provider of Mental Health First Aid® training based on the MHFA® curriculum, our mission is to have a trained and certified Mental Health First Aider® in every New Zealand organisation, with a minimum of 1 First Aider for every 12 employees.

Ready to empower your leadership team with life-changing skills?

Why MHFA® is Key for New Zealand Workplaces

Mental health challenges aren’t just a personal issue that stays at home; they directly impact workplace performance, team dynamics, and your organisation’s bottom line.

As a business leader, you also have legal obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 to manage psychosocial risks in your workplace. This responsibility includes identifying and addressing factors that could harm your team’s mental health, from excessive workloads to workplace conflicts.

When your managers are equipped with knowledge from a Mental Health First Aid® course, they become confident in having supportive conversations, recognising early warning signs, and connecting people with appropriate help before small issues have a chance to worsen.

MHFA® creates the foundation for a psychologically safe workplace where people feel comfortable speaking up, seeking support, and performing at their best. It’s not about managing mental health challenges; it’s about unlocking your team’s full potential through genuine care and competent support.

What You’ll Learn from Our Mental Health First Aid® Course

An in-depth understanding of mental health and the factors that can affect wellbeing
Practical skills to spot the triggers and signs of mental health issues
Confidence to step in, reassure, and support a person in distress
Enhanced interpersonal skills such as non-judgemental listening

Mental Health First Aid® is a global program inspired by the successful physical first aid model. Developed in Australia in 2000, the curriculum is regularly updated to ensure it draws upon the latest research data and evidence.

Our online, face-to-face, or hybrid MHFA® courses are based on the expert consensus of industry professionals and people with lived experience of mental health problems. Additionally, MHFA® Australia has worked in partnership with researchers at the University of Melbourne to develop guidelines for action that cover a number of mental health problems and crises.

What You’ll Take Away

A certificate of attendance
A certificate of accreditation to say you are a Mental Health First Aider®
A MHFA® manual to refer to whenever you need it
A quick reference card for the Mental Health First Aid® action plan
A HumanEx resource pack

Mental Health First Aid® in NZ teaches leaders to have those crucial conversations confidently, maintain appropriate boundaries, and connect people with the support they need while protecting their wellbeing and your organisation’s duty of care. All training includes workplace scenarios customised to your industry and organisational culture.

About Mental Health First Aid® Aotearoa

As an accredited provider of the MHFA® Aotearoa curriculum, we are determined to raise awareness of the program and mental health crisis prevention in New Zealand. Our goal is to have a trained and certified Mental Health First Aider® in every New Zealand organisation.

HumanEx’s wider organisational mission is to provide high-quality, evidence-based mental health and wellbeing education, training, and resources to all New Zealanders (within the mental health spectrum’s prevention and early intervention stages). Delivering the MHFA® curriculum is the first step in a journey to improve the nation’s mental wellbeing.

Mental Health First Aid® Aotearoa is an internationally recognised and accredited program.

Join over 8 million people globally who have already become Mental Health First Aiders®.

Why Undergo Mental Health First Aid® Training with HumanEx?

Evidence Based

Since it began in 2000, Mental Health First Aid® International has been committed to evaluating its training programs using rigorous scientific studies. Courses have been independently and academically peer-reviewed through studies both domestically and internationally.

Award-winning

The Mental Health First Aid® training program has received a number of international awards, including the prestigious Australian MHS Medal.

A global movement

Mental Health First Aid® is a global program with over 6 million people worldwide having recognised training from over 50,000 accredited MHFA® instructors. The programs are currently being actively delivered in 24 countries.

Unparalleled reach

Mental Health First Aid® courses are adaptable to different countries, communities, participants, and target cohorts. It can be delivered at an individual level in small groups or to workplaces, schools, clubs, and other community groups.

Lived experience

The course curriculum is informed by a series of guidelines developed through the Delphi Consensus Method, which includes people with lived experience of mental health problems and caregivers, in addition to clinical and research experts.

Combats stigma

There is stigma (negative attitudes) and discrimination associated with mental health problems, which can lead people to hide their problems from others. Better community understanding of people’s experiences with mental health problems can reduce prejudice and discrimination.

Feedback from our Mental Health First Aiders

This has been on of the best experiences I have had in terms of mental health education and awareness. With a knowledgeable instructor, great attitude and respectful environment, I was able to learn from others, share my experiences and equip myself with the tools to help other people in the arduous journey to mental wellbeing.

Diego Nievas

This course was absolutely fantastic! There are some really useful techniques that would support a potential mental health first aider to help someone in crisis, or better yet, to help prevent someone from reaching crisis. I was surprised that this course has existed for so long and yet so few people are aware of it. I'll be doing my utmost to let everyone know about it.

Jeff Lean

HumanEx provided an amazing, informative and inspiring 2 day course on Mental Health First Aid. The passion of the presenters and the group was mind blowing and provided a unique environment to learn and grow both individually and as a group.

Hayley Crossman - Robotics Plus

Loved the Mental Health First Aid course, gave me such a clearer insight into the world of what is Mental Health. Such an amazing experience to be part of an inspiring course and walked away armed with resources and tools to support other people - thanks Humanex and Ann Marie & Dan who took our course. Life changing.

Andrea Crawford

The training exceeded all my expectations. The Mental Health First Aid course was very informative and well presented. I now have the insights, training and most importantly the confidence to have conversations with people to make a positive difference. I wish I had done the course years ago. I recommend training with HumanEx!

Nick Chong - NZ Football

I had been searching for a provider for a while. Humanex were great. We took our time getting through the content and I learnt some valuable skills to improve my ability to support others - pace, location, and listening were key takeaways for me.

Bradley Patten - AUT

If you are looking for some highly engaged people, knowledgeable and great to work with, I totally recommend working with Humanex. Lindsey's passion and results-driven approach are a great mixture, which always leaves me feeling empowered and energised after a coaching session.

Geoffrey Campbell

Frequently Asked Questions About Mental Health First Aid® in NZ

What does the training course involve?

We offer a range of courses on mental health for training employees and managers, each customised to our client’s needs. Our expert team will consult on your culture and values to ensure the workplace wellbeing training course is aligned with your organisation.

We offer a range of training options to suit your needs, from short, focused sessions that provide quick insights and practical tips, available both online and in-person, to comprehensive, extended programmes that deliver in-depth learning and skill development for lasting impact.

Why is wellbeing important for the workplace?

With so much time spent at work, wellbeing in the workplace training is an essential consideration for business leaders. A supportive workplace culture allows employees to perform at their best, contributing to a more positive work environment with high morale, productivity, and low turnover rates.

In addition, legal requirements mandate that workplaces manage stress-related health and safety risks, making staff wellbeing training not just beneficial but imperative.

What are the pillars of wellbeing?

Te Whare Tapa Whā, a Māori model of wellbeing, illustrates four key pillars or walls of the whare, each representing a vital aspect of holistic health or hauora. These pillars are:

Taha Tinana (Physical Wellbeing): Maintaining physical health through nutrition, exercise, sleep, and regular healthcare, ensuring the body is strong and capable.
Taha Hinengaro (Mental Wellbeing): Supporting mental health by managing stress, developing emotional intelligence, building resilience, and ensuring a healthy mind.
Taha Whānau (Social Wellbeing): Nurturing relationships and staying connected with whānau (family) and others at work and in the community, fostering a sense of belonging and support.
Taha Wairua (Spiritual Wellbeing): Embracing one’s beliefs, values, and sense of purpose, often connected to spirituality or a broader sense of meaning in life.

Many models, including Te Whare Tapa Whā, acknowledge the interconnectedness of these dimensions and sometimes include additional aspects such as Taha Taiao (Environmental Wellbeing) and Taha Pūtea (Financial Wellbeing), recognising that a balance across all areas is key to wellbeing.

Mental Health First Aid®

Why MHFA® is Key for New Zealand Workplaces