Mental Health First Aiders Appointed To Support Employee Wellbeing

We have taken a significant step in promoting employee wellbeing by appointing three new Mental Health First Aiders: Ewan, Sarah, and Paul. The trio recently completed an intensive training course, equipping them with the skills needed to offer vital mental health support across the workforce. These newly trained first aiders will be available to provide guidance, support, and a listening ear to colleagues in need.

We sat down with Ewan, Sarah and Paul to find out more about their journey to become Mental Health First Aiders.

Tell us a bit about yourself – what is your job role and how long have you been with Eclipse?

Ewan: My name is Ewan and I’m the Technical Manager at Eclipse Magnetics. I’ve previously been in Technical Sales and Product & Business Development. I’ve been at Eclipse for over 11 years.  I work with a lot of the teams at Eclipse.

Sarah: I am a Compliance Co-Coordinator and have been with Eclipse since December 2016. I am part of the Commercial Team and my job role involves delivering the company’s ESG commitments and targets.

Paul: I am the Warehouse Team Leader, ensuring goods are picked packed and despatched to our customers. I have been in my current role for 8 months. Previously I served 34 years in the Army.

Why did you decide to apply to become a Mental Health First Aider?

Ewan: I’ve always had an interest in medical applications and, having experienced mental health issues both personally and with people I have worked with in the past, I wanted to learn more so that I can do something positive to assist those who may find themselves in need of assistance. Mental health is an area that everyone struggles with at some point from just feeling down through to feeling as though there is no hope left. But it is rarely talked about openly so we want to change how people view this to let people know that there is help and resources available to aid anyone who is struggling mentally and that there are people here who you can talk to confidentially who do want to help you.

Sarah: I find the topic of mental health extremely interesting, especially since becoming a mother, and getting the right support plays a huge role in a person’s mental health journey and being able to deal with difficult situations. Also, a close friend of mine has been dealing with social anxiety for most of her life which has led me into doing more research and understanding the triggers behind it. Having worked at Eclipse for almost 8 years, I feel I have a great relationship with my colleagues and would love to support anyone experiencing mental ill health.

Paul: Having served for a long time in the Army, mental health has always been a high priority for me. This gives me firsthand experience, having gone through this myself personally. 

How did you find the course?

Ewan: The course, run by Mike Lawrence, was fascinating and also eye-opening, especially on the statistics relating to the numbers of people, especially younger generations, who may be suffering from mental health issues. Mental health issues can be in many forms and have many levels of severity, but all can be assisted with the right resources and professional help. We’re not trained to be mental health doctors – we’ve been guided to help in listening and assessing non-judgementally to then help in providing relevant support and information or to encourage the person confidentially talking to us to seek professional help. I would definitely recommend anyone interested in having MHFA’s in their company to take up the opportunity. I’m really pleased that our HR team wanted to do this – I hadn’t heard of it before but it’s such a positive thing to have been allowed to take part in.

Sarah: The course was insightful and an eye opener as so many people experience poor mental health but are too afraid to talk about it openly and sadly hide their battles. I was surprised to find out that that 1 in 6 working-age adults have symptoms associated with poor mental health. It also helped me to understand the different approaches to take when helping somebody in crisis. Many times we assume that mental health struggles are easy to spot but the course demonstrated what signs to look out for and how I can assist someone where professional help may not be required immediately. It also equipped us with the right tools should further help be required and create a support network around the business.

Paul: The course was great. It was very informative, and I gained a lot of knowledge from it. I now know where to look for help if needed from external sources.

What are you looking forward to in your new role?

Ewan: You would like to hope that everyone has good mental health and would not require assistance but that isn’t reality. Maybe someone just needs a talk get some support and information. Maybe someone is in serious crisis and needs professional help. If I can assist just one person with their mental health to aid them getting better, I would be so pleased.  But whoever that person is, and whatever is discussed, it would always be confidential. And if talking about this MHFA course and talking about the services and help available raises awareness about mental health and stops mental health issues being stigmatised, that has to be a good thing.

Sarah: I look forward to using my new skills as an Mental Health First Aider as the course really changed my perspective on mental health and I feel more confident to be able to support anyone who may need a safe space to talk about their struggles. As mental health problems are on the rise, I truly believe that every person would benefit from this course as we aim to remove any stigma associated with poor mental health. This will create a better working environment, but it will also contribute to ensuring everyone at work feels supported and heard when faced with hardship.

Paul: Just be on hand if anyone is feeling the effects of any mental health symptoms and needs an independent person to talk to who is away from the chain of command.

Looking Ahead To The Future

In appointing Ewan, Sarah, and Paul as Mental Health First Aiders, Eclipse Magnetics continues to foster a supportive and compassionate work environment. Their dedication to promoting mental wellbeing is sure to have a positive impact on their colleagues.

We wish them every success as they step into their new roles, confident that their training and empathy will provide a much-needed resource for the team. With their guidance, Eclipse Magnetics is well on its way to creating an even healthier, more connected workplace.