Mental Health Skills for Citizens Advice Managers
Want to cut straight to the point? TL;DR
As a Citizens Advice manager, you want to do the right thing when a team member is struggling with their mental health. It’s not always easy – you might worry about saying the wrong thing or not having the right tools to help.
Designed specifically for Citizens Advice managers across England and Wales, this one day online course will equip you with practical, applicable skills to confidently handle mental health challenges in your team. You’ll learn how to foster a supportive environment without feeling out of your depth, so both you and your team can thrive.
You'll receive an MHFA England Mental Health Skills for Managers certificate, and benefit from added content from an experienced workplace mediator and conflict coach - helping you explore difficult conversations and techniques for facing these challenges.
Priced at £157 per person, this closed cohort for the Citizens Advice service only, will be boosted from the 4 hour course to 9.30am-4.30pm to explore further complimentary skills, at no added cost.
Suitable for people with Line Management responsibility specifically.
From 2018 to 2023, I served as the Chief Executive at Citizens Advice Wokingham – a journey showing the emotional challenges facing our teams, and our managers. I witnessed firsthand the critical need for - and benefits of - robust mental health support and communication strategies in high-stress, emotionally demanding roles.
Through the peer support group work we established weekly calls for Chief Execs across the network and supported with many challenges.
I continue to work with many LCAs across England & Wales on Mental Health First Aid training and the popular Suicide Awareness & Prevention Workshop for your advisers and supervisors.
Now I'm reaching out with an offer to support you and your leaders with managing and supporting your teams, focussed on mental health - with some added conflict resolution tips around communication.
Received in November 2020 - the Excellence in Leadership award at Citizens Advice annual conference
Exclusive Offer for Citizens Advice
Mental Health Skills for Managers training with added content
In Summary
MHFA England course & Certificate: The content is built on MHFA England’s nationally recognised training resources, so you can trust that the techniques are evidence-based and effective. (MHFA England is the gold standard for mental health training in workplaces.)
Expanded Format: By popular demand, we’ve expanded this course to a full-day format (previously a half-day) to allow more time for practice and real-world scenarios. The day is broken into engaging sessions with breaks, all conducted via a live online platform – so you can join from anywhere in England or Wales.
Why this course?: Added focus on integrating valuable techniques drawn from mediation and conflict resolution work, and addressing common CA manager challenges - throughout the course, with added conversations.
High-Quality Interaction: Each cohort is capped at 16 places.
Exclusively for CA Network: This enhanced format is currently only being offered to the network - and the cohort will be limited to CA colleagues, not external.
AND FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY: For attendees of this cohort, I'll throw in a 20% discount on a group booking of Mental Health First Aid or Mental Health Skills for Managers.
This training consists of the evidence-based Mental Health Skills for Managers course by MHFA England. Designed for people managers to develop an open culture around mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.
Instead of the four-hour course, for the same price I am expanding this to 9.30am-4.30pm with places restricted to the Citizens Advice network.
This additional time builds upon the great feedback I've had delivering the half-day course recently, where adding in my experience as an accredited workplace mediator and trained conflict coach. With the feedback asking for more time, which I'm adding in for this cohort.
"I found the course to be valuable and insightful. It was a shame that it was only a half-day session"
"This training was a brilliant addition to the MHFA training as it helped me to think about how I can apply that learning to the employee/ manager relationship. Jake was a fantastic trainer, and shared plenty of practical examples - I would say it's one of the best training sessions I've attended.
I feel I would've benefitted from a full day"
Utilising this experience, and my time in the network, we will develop discussions in the group, spend time answering your questions and exploring ideas.
Attendees will leave receive a Mental Health Skills for Managers workbook, gain knowledge and tools for mental health support as a manager, and a certificate of attendance (example). After the course delegates will receive helpful links and tips in a follow-up via email.
£157 per person
Please Note:
While incorporating principles from conflict resolution, this enhancement provides practical skills relevant to managers but is not full mediation training.
For the 20% discount the request needs to be made within a month of attending this course (for the 5th June cohort), and for the course to take place in the next 3 months.
Further Info
Why This Course Matters
Supporting your team’s mental health is not just a nice-to-have – it’s a core leadership skill. In a recent survey, 46% of employees said they feel uncomfortable discussing mental health with their managertheworkersunion.com.
At the same time, over half (57%) felt that managers would benefit from more training to support staff well-beingtheworkersunion.com. This course helps close that gap.
By building your confidence and knowledge, you can:
Show real leadership and empathy: When you proactively support mental health, your team members are more likely to thrive and stay with the organisationmhfaengland.org. You’ll promote a healthier, more inclusive workplace culture where people feel safe to open up.
Handle issues early and effectively: Spotting signs of distress and addressing them early can prevent problems from escalating. You’ll help your team stay productive and resilient, and avoid the costs of burnout or prolonged absences.
Be the manager your team needs: Many managers care but feel unsure how to help – this training gives you the confidence to act. You’ll come away equipped to make a positive difference when it matters most.
What You’ll Learn
By the end of the Mental Health Skills for Managers course, you will know how to:
Identify signs of a mental health issue in a team member early on, and understand how common conditions (like anxiety or depression) might present at work.
Have open, supportive conversations about mental health with your staff. Learn exactly what to say (and what not to say) to encourage someone to talk, using proven communication techniques and active listening skills.
Manage difficult conversations with confidence and empathy. Whether it’s a sensitive one-to-one about performance and well-being or supporting someone returning from sick leave, you’ll practise ways to handle these tough talks constructively.
Signpost colleagues to the right support. Know how and where to guide your team members if they need professional help or additional resources, and understand your boundaries as a manager (you’re not expected to be a therapist!).
Look after your own mental well-being as a leader. Learn self-care strategies and how to model healthy working habits, so you can support others without burning out yourself.
Balance support with team performance. Get tips on how to maintain productivity and fairness while making reasonable adjustments for those who are struggling, ensuring both the individual and team can succeed together.
These skills are practical and immediately applicable – you can start using them in your very next one-to-one or team meeting.
