“My dream is to have Psychological First Aid (PFA) for Young Peers included in the school curriculum.” – PS Centre Programme Advisor Pia Tingsted Blum
The PS Centre was involved in the development of the newly released package of materials designed to support the mental health and wellbeing of young people.
There are two components to this package:
PFA for Young Peers: A handbook introduces PFA to young people. The handbook provides the skills and knowledge to help others who may be in distress or in difficulty, with examples of how young people can use PFA to support their peers.
PFA for Young Peers: A training manual features a two-day training, with a suggested training programme and training notes, including links to other resources on PFA.
PFA involves caring about a person in difficulty, paying attention to their reactions and how they feel, listening to them – and if needed, providing practical help. As a young person, learning PFA teaches the value of being a compassionate friend and a good listener. It also teaches young people how to practice self-care.
“More and more young people feel lonely and struggle to thrive. They often find it difficult to reach out for support. Psychological First Aid for Young Peers is designed to empower young people to be there for one another and teach them a structured way of supporting each other,” says Pia, who is piloting the PFA for Young Peers training.
The training in PFA for Young Peers can be delivered on its own or be included in a broader package of training and support to young people. The featured training programme is a two-day training, aimed at young people between the ages of 12 and 23 years.
Key learning objectives for young peers include:
- At the end of the training, participants will understand what PFA is.
- At the end of the training, participants will be able to use PFA with their peers.
- At the end of the training, participants will know what to do if someone needs more support than can be given through PFA.
- At the end of the training, participants will be aware of self-care strategies for themselves and be linked with support mechanisms.
Access all PFA modules and guides developed by the PS Centre to learn more about psychological aid.
Contact the PS Centre for additional support and information about the centre’s trainings.