MH101 > Testimonials

Testimonials

What are people saying about MH101 and Blueprint for Learning?

About MH101

"I learnt more today than I thought possible in one day, about mental health and how to recognise, relate and respond to people experiencing mental illness..." (Participant, Barnardos.)

"This is the most incredible training I have ever attended in my entire policing career..." (Participant, NZ Police.)

“This has given me more confidence to deal with any person’s situation that I come up against...” (Participant, Citizens Advice Bureau.)

“The day following this workshop our admin staff member was faced with a person in real distress. She and the rest of our staff handled the entire situation seamlessly, thanks to the training we had all attended the day before. Is great to see our learning in action...” (Participant, Special Education.)

"The MH101 course and website will make my work life easier." (Workshop participant.)

"The message - be professional, be polite, tell the truth - is something I will always remember." (Workshop participant.)

“For me personally, contact with a person displaying signs of mental ill health can trigger a negative reaction and a desire to flee! However, as the course mentions, the key is to know simply how to be there with the person, in their situation, in the confidence that doing the right thing will almost certainly help. The aim of the course is to equip people with the necessary knowledge and skills to do just this. It became clear that heroic responses or great deeds are not required. It should be within the capacity of anyone to react appropriately. Given the idea that it lies within each person to have experiences that are identical to those had by people who are mentally unwell, surely this is extremely reassuring? The implication seems obvious - that a person who is able to help another person who is mentally unwell would automatically help themselves.” (Participant, Department of Labour.)

“It’s great knowing more about how to manage myself when I have mild black dog days.” (Workshop participant.)

“This is one of the most smooth, effective, efficient projects from start to finish I’ve ever been involved in, due to Sonja and the team of facilitators etc. Big ups to them! I feel extremely privileged and proud of the programme, workbook, results, evaluation – [it] makes me feel good to be part of that." (Reference group member.)

“The experience and wisdom of the facilitators was so apparent when they spoke. Excellent facilitators who both knew their subject.” (Workshop participant.)

“I learnt so much at the workshop and I will now be more proactive in discussing mental illness with others in an effort to educate and reduce stigma. I’m leaving here more confident in dealing with difficult situations and [will] react differently using techniques discussed.” (Workshop participant.)

About Blueprint

"I go to a number of business houses and you often get an immediate feel for how happy people are in their work situation. I have to say, I have very rarely experienced such a positive vibe as a first impression, like the one I experienced from everyone involved at Blueprint for Learning yesterday. Without question, Blueprint for Learning struck me as a wonderful and vibrant place for people to work, which is testament to Sally's role in the first instance, and to the team in general." (Craig Lewis.)

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    It's not unusual...

    Nearly 47% of New Zealanders experience mental illness at some stage in their lives. When ongoing stress leads to an experience of mental illness, the ability of both ourselves and others to recognise the signs and symptoms early ensures the appropriate support can be offered.

    Mental distress can present itself in many different ways, including in physical, spiritual, behavioural or emotional dimensions. The symptoms will be different according to the type of illness, but the most important thing to remember is that mental illness has equal capacity to either enhance or disturb people's lives.

    With the right support from friends, family and colleagues, the amount of disturbance can be minimised. On the other hand, the courage, hope and strength that living with mental illness requires often enhances the ability of people to live well and hold valued roles within their whanau and communities.

    Being able to recognise good mental health and what we can do to maintain it is important to everyone.

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    Stand in their shoes...

    The ability to relate to people experiencing mental distress or mental illness is paramount if you are going to respond appropriately. Knowing how your reactions can impact on the thoughts, feelings and behaviours of others can make all the difference.

    We all have individual beliefs and thoughts about situations we are faced with. Often these are automatic and occur before we've even had time to process them. It's important that we learn how to take the time to stop and think about how these thoughts and feelings may impact on another person. Doing this also gives us time to appreciate what might be going on for the other person.

    Relating to the experience of mental illness often means standing in the shoes of another and empathising with their experience. Acknowledging the person as an individual who, despite a change in behaviours and thoughts, is still the same person in the first step to maintaining a relationship with them.

    To read more about the experiences of those affected by mentall illness check out these stories on Like Minds, Like Mine and The Lowdown.

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    Your response counts

    Be professional. Be polite. Tell the truth.

    When people are experiencing distress, more often than not, it's the simple things that you can do that make a difference. If someone needs help and you're not sure what to do, just ask. Here are some ways of 'being':

    • be genuine
    • be compassionate
    • be respectful
    • be kind
    • be gentle
    • be a friend.

    Sometimes things like making a cup of tea, offering to put on a load of washing, helping a colleague finish a large report or babysitting your brother's kids for the night can make the difference. Other ways of helping could include finding an understanding GP or giving an obviously stressed client help to fill in some forms. Just taking the time to provide some help and support shows someone they're not alone. If you need more help, you can also seek a professional response.

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