Inside the factory: Mental health first aid
Content warning: mentions of lived experience of suicide, and poor mental health
Neil Harrison, a factory production worker of 45 years, has been a Mental Health First Aider within his workplace since 2022. His personal experience and subsequent dedication to supporting others offers a profound insight into the transformative power of compassion and advocacy.
Neil’s personal experience
Neil first identified the need for workplace mental health support early in his career when he was a physical first aider.
"I was finding that many of my colleagues were lying about injuries or feeling unwell just to be able to offload to me. While I kept their struggles confidential, it began happening so often that my line manager felt aggrieved that I was being constantly called off the production line. Mental health first aid was not a thing in England then, but I felt strongly that it should be. "
Later on, Neil faced his own journey of poor mental health. A tumultuous divorce left him at risk of losing his home and his children. Unable to see a way through, he attempted suicide .
"Every avenue I went down for help, I got nowhere,” he said. Thankfully, the thought of his children gave him the strength to make a positive change. He remarried, overcame a quadruple heart bypass, and emerged stronger. The understanding, empathetic, and compassionate qualities he developed paved the way to becoming a Mental Health First Aider."
Making the workplace a safe space for colleagues
As one of the only Mental Health First Aiders on the production floor, Neil’s management were worried about the effect the role would have on his productivity.
Fortunately, that perspective has changed and they have supported Neil with a dedicated mental health first aid room, which offers a more calming environment than the factory, as well as numerous noticeboards to further educate colleagues.
"I am always conscious of the duty of my job, but certain mental health issues cannot be restricted by time and you don’t know how urgent a situation can be. My managers are very understanding of this. I often tap into conversations where elements of mental health are discussed and then find relevant posters. The posters provide a great starting point to a conversation."
Additionally, all the Mental Health First Aiders within the company have a Zoom meeting once a month. “These meetings are beneficial because, while we don’t share names, we discuss cases and can learn from each other’s experiences.
The impact of mental health first aid
Neil has seen a meaningful change in culture within the factory since the company introduced MHFA® training.
"I was surprised at the people who first called on my help. People had previously raised the lack of mental health support within the company, but the people who came to me had never previously shared their problems. It highlighted how well people can mask poor mental health and has taught me not to make assumptions."
"One colleague, who I didn’t really know before, was brought to me by a manager after mentioning thoughts of suicide. "
"I could hear that the suggestion of coming to speak to me wasn’t going down very well outside my room, so I asked the manager to leave us alone, then did my best to calm the situation down."
"I explained to her that we all have mental health – some have poor mental health, others have good mental health. However, we all experience poor mental health at some points in our lives and it is my job to support people when they need it. I encouraged her to make herself comfortable and reassured her she was still being paid despite not being on the production line. Once she had calmed down, I introduced myself, explained the Mental Health First Aider role, and how my lived experience had helped shape me into someone who was adequately suited to provide support."
"Within ten minutes she was telling me about her son who has a learning disability and their struggle at finding him employment. Her husband had given up work to look after him, making her the breadwinner. Being in her mid-sixties, she feared for the future when she’s no longer able to provide for them."
"After listening to her and doing my best to understand the situation, I asked if she would consider going to the local Mind centre to have a conversation with a qualified counsellor. She agreed to go, and after talking to them, Mind worked with local authorities to provide her support."
"The lady fed back to her manager and told her that she was no longer thinking about suicide because she now had a friend in me. “He’s made me feel ten foot tall, she said, and she recommends mental health first aid to other colleagues. “It was great to be part of a team that was able to support a colleague and further highlighted the importance of Mental Health First Aiders. "
Join the Association of Mental Health First Aiders
If you’re considering training as a Mental Health First Aider, Neil’s advice is to “go for it if you want to help others, not just to tick a box”.
Now, learners can join the Association of Mental Health First Aiders – England’s first and only membership for Mental Health First Aiders and the largest community of its kind.
With access to exclusive resources and events, you’ll feel empowered to provide support where it is needed. And together we can transform how we talk about and support mental health.