dxw’s Mental Health First Aiders
Supporting someone isn’t about having the answers. It’s about creating the space for a conversation and helping people feel heard
Earlier this year, we rebuilt our network of Mental Health First Aiders across the business. The aim was simple: to make sure colleagues have people they can turn to for an initial conversation when they’re struggling, and who can help them find the right support if they need it.
We had a great response from across dxw. 13 volunteers from a range of teams signed up, which means we now have a network of trained colleagues available throughout the company.
What is Mental Health First Aid?
Mental Health First Aid is the support offered to someone who may be experiencing poor mental health or emotional distress.
Much like physical first aid, it isn’t a substitute for professional care. Instead, it’s about recognising when someone may need support, having a conversation, and helping them access the right help.
Our Mental Health First Aiders are trained to:
- recognise signs that someone may be struggling
- listen without judgement
- have supportive conversations
- assess the urgency of a situation
- signpost people towards professional support and other helpful resources
They are not counsellors, therapists or medical professionals. Their role is to provide initial support and help people navigate the next steps.
Why it matters
Mental health affects all of us. Many people will experience periods of poor mental health during their lives, whether that’s stress, anxiety, depression, burnout, grief or something else entirely. While conversations about mental health have become more common in recent years, it can still be difficult to know who to talk to or where to seek help.
Professional support is not always immediately available, and sometimes the most important first step is simply having someone who will listen. We want to create a workplace where colleagues feel more able to talk openly about their wellbeing and make support easier to access when it’s needed.
Learning how to support others
The training was delivered by Mental Health First Aid England over 2 full days and combined practical exercises, case studies, discussions and group activities.
Participants explored common mental health conditions, active listening techniques, supportive and non-judgemental communication, responding to crisis situations and helping people access appropriate support services.
One of the themes that emerged from the training was the importance of recognising our own wellbeing as well as supporting others.
As Alex reflected:
“MHF Aider or not, it’s important to make sure our own ‘cups’ are topped up before we can pour into another. We need to take care of our own wellbeing and make sure we’re in a good place ourselves before we can provide full focus on helping another person.”
For Louise, one of the most valuable lessons was about listening:
“The training made me realise the importance of properly listening to someone. No offering solutions or sharing your own experiences. Sometimes all someone needs is a person to listen to them without judgment or interruption.”
Lizzie highlighted the role of active listening in creating psychological safety:
“Active listening is about creating a safe, comfortable environment to enable someone to talk openly. The core conditions for active listening are acceptance, genuineness and empathy.”
Harry shared:
“I’ve had my struggles with poor mental health. Someone gave me first aid, and it was such a help. I wanted to be more able to do the same.”
These reflections capture something important about Mental Health First Aid. Supporting someone isn’t about having the answers. It’s about creating the space for a conversation.
Building a supportive workplace
Mental Health First Aiders are one part of how we support wellbeing at dxw.
Having trained colleagues available doesn’t remove the need for professional support, but it can make it easier for people to take the first step, whether that’s talking through a difficult situation, understanding what support is available, or simply knowing someone is there to listen.
We’re grateful to everyone who volunteered their time to undertake the training and help strengthen the support available across the business.