Ten team members qualify as Mental Health First Aid Champions

Ten team members at Saffery Trust have successfully completed training to become Mental Health First Aid Champions.

The course, which was delivered by Guernsey Mind, was arranged by the private client firm as part of its ongoing commitment to prioritising staff mental health and wellbeing.

The course outlined best practices for approaching conversations about mental health, signposting to appropriate local services and detailing what to do if someone presents with a mental health crisis requiring an immediate response.

The firm has had staff qualified in Mental Health First Aid within the team since 2020. Saffery Trust Head of People and Culture, Jane Wade, said it was important to grow this network.

“The Mental Health First Aid Champions course offered by Guernsey Mind was an excellent opportunity to train more staff to be able to support others, not only in the workplace, but in their personal lives too.

“With just under 100 staff in our Guernsey office, we now have more than one Champion for every 10 team members, which is excellent. This also means that the Champions can support each other in helping the wider team.”

Staff at the firm also have access to 24/7 mental health and wellbeing support services through an Employee Assistance Programme.

The Saffery Trust Mental Health First Aid team now includes all the firm’s People and Culture team, and a diverse range of staff from other departments including the Trust Transformation, Compliance, Finance and Marketing teams.

Saffery Trust Managing Director, Nick Batiste, said:

“We are proud to have several initiatives that support the mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing of our people, and growing our Mental Health First Aid team will be of benefit to everyone. An important part of our Employee Value Proposition is ensuring that all our staff know that they can voice any concern they may have – whether it is a professional or personal issue – and that they will be given the appropriate support.

“We have an excellent culture at Saffery Trust where everyone is always willing to help and support one another, without judgment. Our dedicated Mental Health First Aid Champions have now been equipped with the tools to spot the signs of someone who may be experiencing poor mental health and to provide early intervention where possible.”