A Life Worth Living

Both nationally and regionally we are challenged with preventing suicide. By training our community we can tackle the stigma associated with suicide and reach many more people and their families. This half day training course focuses upon a community approach to suicide prevention and intervention.

Objectives

Offer support and information to people who are experiencing suicidal thoughts, support local people to identify ‘a life worth living’ and equip workers and volunteers with the confidence, skills and knowledge they need to offer support and information to a potentially suicidal person.

Duration
4 Hours. 

For dates and times 

To book, please click here and only book onto dates in South Tyneside.

No dates available? 

To be notified when dates become available, email training@firstcontactclinical.co.uk or call 0191 432 9838.

Alcohol Awareness

This session will provide an understanding of alcohol misuse and give attendees the ability to identify clients needing support using a range of assessment tools and demonstrate skills in having motivating conversations with clients.

Objectives

• We look at how alcohol affects us mentally and physically. Discussing points, such as what happens in our brains with short and long-term use and the link between alcohol and different cancers.
• We explore why people drink alcohol and see if it’s true that the further North in England you live, the more likely you are to die of an alcohol related disease.
• We review the guidelines on alcohol consumption in the UK with regards to adults and young people, test our own knowledge on units and discuss the signs of dependency.
• We then finish by discussing how we can all “Make Every Contact Count” and help people to who are struggling with alcohol misuse. We review the services that we have locally and the range of support available.

For dates and times 

Please visit the calendar at the bottom of this page.

No dates available? 

To be notified when dates become available email training@firstcontactclinical.co.uk or call 0191 432 9838

Alcohol and Substance Misuse

This session will provide an understanding of Alcohol and Substance misuse and give attendees the ability to identify clients needing support using a range of assessment tools and demonstrate skills in having motivating conversations with clients.

Objectives

• We look at how alcohol affects us mentally and physically, discussing points, such as what happens in our brains with short and long-term use and the link between alcohol and cancer.
• We explore why people drink alcohol and see if it’s true that the further North in England you live, the more likely you are to die of an alcohol related disease.
• We review the guidelines on alcohol consumption in the UK with regards to adults and young people, test our own knowledge on units and discuss the signs of dependency.
• We then move on to discuss the different substances which can be misused, the different actions that different drugs have and review some of the most common illegal drugs.
• We then finish by discussing how we can all “Make Every Contact Count” and help people to who are struggling with alcohol and substance misuse. We review the services that we have locally and the range of support available.

Duration
3 Hours 

For dates and times 

Please visit the calendar at the bottom of this page.

No dates available? 

To be notified when dates become available email training@firstcontactclinical.co.uk or call 0191 432 9838

• Increase your knowledge of current trends, risks, and the impacts of alcohol, smoking, cannabis, and other substances on young people.
• Understand the legal frameworks and public health guidance surrounding underage alcohol use, smoking, vaping, and drug misuse, including harm reduction approaches.
• Recognise signs and risk factors associated with substance use among young people, and how it relates to wider vulnerabilities such as mental health, safeguarding, and social influences.
• Explore how substance misuse impacts young people’s brain development, education, relationships, and long-term well-being.
• Gain confidence in starting conversations with young people about alcohol, smoking, and drugs using the MECC (Making Every Contact Count) approach and the 3 A’s Framework – Ask, Assist, Act.
• Know how and when to use screening tools such as AUDIT-C appropriately with young people.
• Feel equipped to signpost and refer young people to local specialist support, including services such as Matrix, and national resources like Talk to Frank.
• Understand the importance of early intervention, and how positive conversations at the right time can prevent harm and support better health outcomes.

Duration

3 hours

MECC enables all professionals and volunteers who have contact with people to “Make Every Contact Count”, by delivering health and wellbeing messages, encouraging them to change their behaviour and directing them to local services that can support them. A MECC conversation is designed to take a matter of minutes and uses a simple structure that is designed to fit into and complement your existing engagement approaches.

Attending this module will increase your competence and confidence in MECC and improve the quality of your conversations that help to support people to manage and improve their own health and wellbeing.

Objectives

• Increase awareness of the people who will benefit from a MECC conversation
• Improve your knowledge of behaviour change
• Increase your awareness of evidence-based conversation skills
• Increase your confidence to have a MECC conversation
• An opportunity to practice and embed the skills

To increase your knowledge of prevention and lifestyle behaviours and awareness of local signposting options and resources, you will supplement this training by attending complementary modules from our ABU Programme.

Duration

3 Hours

For dates and times

Please visit the calendar at the bottom of this page.

To be notified when dates become available email training@firstcontactclinical.co.uk or call 0191 432 9838

What is dialog? 
Dialog is a standardised outcome measure for both statutory and non-statutory partners 
being introduced across South Tyneside. 

What is a PROM? 
PROM = Person (Patient) Reported Outcome Measure. 
This 2hour session will provide an understanding of: 
• Why Dialog is being used  
• What Dialog is 
• How to use it effectively 

For dates and times 

Please visit the calendar at the bottom of this page.

No dates available? 

To be notified when dates become available email training@firstcontactclinical.co.uk or call 0191 432 9838

Cultural Competency

Cultural Competency training is an interactive session that will help you to better connect with and deliver effective services to people from ethnically marginalised communities.

Objectives

• Explore what do we mean by culture?
• Understand the diverse and intersecting characteristics of local communities
• Develop skills to identify barriers to accessing services
• Recognise good practice
• Feel more confident in working with different communities

Duration

3 Hours

For dates and times 

Please visit the calendar at the bottom of this page.

No dates available? 

To be notified when dates become available email training@firstcontactclinical.co.uk or call 0191 432 9838

Cancer Awareness (MECC) - E-learning

This session will provide cancer awareness training for people who work or volunteer in South Tyneside to help them feel better equipped to have conversations around cancer.

Objectives

• Increase awareness of the risks of developing cancer
• Increase awareness of the importance of visiting the doctor early with any concerns
• Knowledge on the NHS national screening programmes and the importance of attending those screenings.
• Advise where to find correct information and which services are available to us to help.

To access this e-learning please click on the link below

Cancer Awareness E-Learning

Additional resources

Target Lung Health Checks

Conversation Starters - Cancer

This training will give you and awareness of carers and give you the knowledge of the support available.

Learning Outcomes

• Increase awareness of Hidden Carers
• Be confident to Think Carer
• Consider barriers to seeking support
• Consider a particular cohort

To access this e-learning please click on the link below

MECC Carer E-Learning

Healthy Homes (MECC) - E-learning

MECC Healthy Homes relates to households that cannot meet their energy needs at a reasonable cost. Living in fuel poverty can exacerbate health issues such as heart attacks, strokes, bronchitis, and asthma. Each year 10,000 people die because of living in a cold home. Fuel poverty can seriously impact on an individual’s mental health and is a known risk factor for suicide. (NEA 2022)

The session will provide an awareness of Healthy Homes, provide you to be confident to ‘Think Healthy Homes’ and provide you with a conversational framework which allows you to support the carer with what matters to them.

Objectives

• Increase awareness of MECC Healthy Homes 
• Increase confidence to identify people experiencing fuel poverty
• Consider the barriers and how to overcome them
• Knowledge of the support for those experiencing fuel poverty
• Practice a conversational framework
  • Ask: take notice and engage
  • Assist: provide information
  • Act: offer and connect to support

To access this e-learning please click the link below

Healthy Homes e-learning

Additional resources

Healthy Homes Leaflet

Pathways for Support

Conversation Starters

South Tyneside Social Prescribing Service

This training will give you and awareness of Loneliness and Isolation and equip you with the knowledge those in need of support.

Learning Outcomes

• Understand the concepts of loneliness and social isolation
• Recognise the key factors contributing to loneliness
• Identify the impact of loneliness on physical and mental health
• Explore practical strategies to support those experiencing loneliness
• Learn about available resources and initiatives to combat loneliness

Link to access training

Loneliness and Isolation E-Leaning

This training will give you and awareness of oral health and give you the knowledge of the support available.

Learning Outcomes

• Increase awareness of the importance of oral health
• Increase awareness of how lifestyle factors affect our oral health
• Advise where to find correct information and which services are available to us to help.

Link to access training

Oral Health E-Learning

Emotional Health & Wellbeing Awareness (emphasis on your own self-care)

This session will increase people’s awareness and enable them to plan for their own emotional health and wellbeing. It also aims to give attendees an understanding of how they can support others who are struggling with their emotional health and wellbeing. 

Objectives

• Provide an overview of what is meant by “emotional health and wellbeing”
• Plan for your own emotional health and wellbeing
• To understand how to identify poor emotional health and wellbeing
• The main challengers; stress, anxiety and depression
• Recognise unhealthy coping strategies
• Introduce healthy coping strategies (Five Ways to Wellbeing)
• Helping others to help themselves (conversation techniques)

Duration
2 Hours

For dates and times 

Please visit the calendar at the bottom of this page.

No dates available? 

To be notified when dates become available email training@firstcontactclinical.co.uk or call 0191 432 9838

Emotional Resilience

The aim of this course is to help people understand their current levels of resilience but to also give them some tools to maintain and improve their own emotional resilience. 

Objectives

• Explore the connection between emotional health and resilience.
• Assess your resilience traits.
• Understand resilience.
• Recognise the indicators of stress and identify sources of support.
• Identify practical steps we can take to build resilience.

Duration
3.5 Hours

For dates and times 

Please visit the calendar at the bottom of this page.

No dates available? 

To be notified when dates become available email training@firstcontactclinical.co.uk or call 0191 432 9838

Mental Health (MECC)

Mental Health is a spectrum from optimum positive mental wellbeing through to experiencing mental illness. We are all on the continuum and move around depending on our life experiences. In this session we look at what can impact on our mental wellbeing and the support that is available in South Tyneside.

The session will provide an awareness of what is meant by mental health, mental wellbeing and mental illness. The training will support you to be confident to ‘Think Mental Health’ and provide you with a conversational framework which allows you to support the person with what matters to them and make positive changes for their mental health and wellbeing.

 Objectives

• Identify what is meant by mental health, mental wellbeing and mental illness, including recognised definitions, models and frameworks.
• Develop skills and confidence to engage with people about their mental health and wellbeing.
• Develop skills to support people to understand distressing feelings and experiences.
• Develop awareness of local support services and how to effectively signpost service users to the appropriate service
• Develop confidence to understand and implement appropriate signposting pathways

Duration

2 Hours

For dates and times 

Please visit the calendar at the bottom of this page.

No dates available? 

To be notified when dates become available email training@firstcontactclinical.co.uk or call 0191 432 9838

Self-harm Awareness and Response

To raise awareness about self-harm and to provide a range of tools and techniques to support someone who self-harms.

Objectives

• Look at the myths and stigma associated with self-harm and its prevalence.
• Relationship between self-harm and suicide.
• Reasons why people self-harm.
• Biological and psychological effects of self-harm on an individual.
• Ways to support someone who self-harms.
• Problem solving techniques including the bank of hope and ABC.
• How to talk to someone about their self-harm.
• How to co-produce an immediate and long-term safety plan.
• Resources available to support someone who is living with self-harm.

 Duration

4.5 Hours

For dates and times 

Please visit the calendar at the bottom of this page.

No dates available? 

To be notified when dates become available email training@firstcontactclinical.co.uk or call 0191 432 9838

Cancer Awareness (MECC) - E-learning

This session will provide cancer awareness training for people who work or volunteer in South Tyneside to help them feel better equipped to have conversations around cancer.

Objectives

• Increase awareness of the risks of developing cancer
• Increase awareness of the importance of visiting the doctor early with any concerns
• Knowledge on the NHS national screening programmes and the importance of attending those screenings.
• Advise where to find correct information and which services are available to us to help.

To access this e-learning please click on the link below

Cancer Awareness E-Learning

Additional resources

Target Lung Health Checks

Conversation Starters - Cancer

Aim:

This interactive course will give you a wider understanding of some Public Health’s key health messages. The session will cover Alcohol Identification and Brief Advice, Healthy Eating and Physical Activity, MECC Mental Health and Smoking Cessation Very Brief Advice.

Objectives:

• To understand what is meant by the term “healthy weight” and how to achieve and maintaining a healthy weight through dietary management and physical activity
• To understand alcohol misuse and tools to use to identify risky drinking
• To understand what is meant by mental health, mental wellbeing and mental illness.
• To understand the harmful effects of smoking and current advice on e-cigarettes
• Deliver brief advice on each topic and develop an awareness of local support services and how to effectively signpost service users

Duration
1 day

For dates and times 

Please visit the calendar at the bottom of this page.

No dates available? 

To be notified when dates become available email training@firstcontactclinical.co.uk or call 0191 432 9838

Healthy Homes (MECC) - E-learning

MECC Healthy Homes relates to households that cannot meet their energy needs at a reasonable cost. Living in fuel poverty can exacerbate health issues such as heart attacks, strokes, bronchitis, and asthma. Each year 10,000 people die because of living in a cold home. Fuel poverty can seriously impact on an individual’s mental health and is a known risk factor for suicide. (NEA 2022)

The session will provide an awareness of Healthy Homes, provide you to be confident to ‘Think Healthy Homes’ and provide you with a conversational framework which allows you to support the carer with what matters to them.

Objectives

• Increase awareness of MECC Healthy Homes 
• Increase confidence to identify people experiencing fuel poverty
• Consider the barriers and how to overcome them
• Knowledge of the support for those experiencing fuel poverty
• Practice a conversational framework
  • Ask: take notice and engage
  • Assist: provide information
  • Act: offer and connect to support

To access this e-learning please click the link below

Healthy Homes e-learning

Additional resources

Healthy Homes Leaflet

Pathways for Support

Conversation Starters

South Tyneside Social Prescribing Service

Health Literacy

Objectives

• To raise awareness of the benefits of health literacy to individuals and groups
• To provide an understanding of the impact of health literacy
• To introduce healthy literacy tools and techniques
• To increase confidence to create resources that support health literacy

Duration

1.5 Hours

For dates and times 

Please visit the calendar at the bottom of this page.

No dates available? 

To be notified when dates become available email training@firstcontactclinical.co.uk or call 0191 432 9838

Healthy Weight

The aim of this course is to offer a wider understanding of what is involved in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight through dietary management and physical activity. It will include information on behaviour change techniques and when to use them to direct clients towards a healthier lifestyle.

Objectives

• To understand what is meant by the term “healthy weight”
• How can we maintain/reach a healthy weight?
• Understanding portion sizes
• To identify under-/over-weight clients who may need additional support
• Deliver brief advice on the benefits of healthy diet and physical activity with confidence
• To provide tools to produce an effective, collaborative change plan with clients

Duration
2.5 Hours

For dates and times 

Please visit the calendar at the bottom of this page.

No dates available? 

To be notified when dates become available email training@firstcontactclinical.co.uk or call 0191 432 9838

Mental Health (MECC)

Mental Health is a spectrum from optimum positive mental wellbeing through to experiencing mental illness. We are all on the continuum and move around depending on our life experiences. In this session we look at what can impact on our mental wellbeing and the support that is available in South Tyneside.

The session will provide an awareness of what is meant by mental health, mental wellbeing and mental illness. The training will support you to be confident to ‘Think Mental Health’ and provide you with a conversational framework which allows you to support the person with what matters to them and make positive changes for their mental health and wellbeing.

 Objectives

• Identify what is meant by mental health, mental wellbeing and mental illness, including recognised definitions, models and frameworks.
• Develop skills and confidence to engage with people about their mental health and wellbeing.
• Develop skills to support people to understand distressing feelings and experiences.
• Develop awareness of local support services and how to effectively signpost service users to the appropriate service
• Develop confidence to understand and implement appropriate signposting pathways

Duration

2 Hours

For dates and times 

Please visit the calendar at the bottom of this page.

No dates available? 

To be notified when dates become available email training@firstcontactclinical.co.uk or call 0191 432 9838

Think Carers (MECC)

A carer is anyone, including children and adults who looks after a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction and cannot cope without their support. The care they provide is unpaid.

The session will provide an awareness of hidden carers, provide you to be confident to ‘Think Carer’ and provide you with a  conversational framework which allows you to support the carer with what matters to them.

Objectives

• Increase awareness of Hidden Carers
• Increase confidence to ‘Think Carer’
• Consider the barriers and how to overcome them
• Knowledge of the support for carers
• Practice a conversational framework
• Ask: take notice and engage
• Assist: provide information
• Act: offer and connect to support

Duration
1.5 Hours

For dates and times 

Please visit the calendar at the bottom of this page.

No dates available? 

To be notified when dates become available email training@firstcontactclinical.co.uk or call 0191 432 9838

Sexual Health

This session provides attendees with a wider understanding of local and national agendas in Sexual and Reproductive Health. It will also allow the opportunity to learn more about the legislation involved in this area and provide opportunities to develop behaviour change techniques relevant to the field.

Objectives

• We explore the law in relation to sexual health, and answer questions including: what to do if someone tells you that they have been a victim of sexting, and has anyone ever been sent to prison for giving someone a STI?
• We discuss many issues around sexual health with a special focus on young people. Do you know the differences between 10 different STIs? Or do you know which forms of contraception are most effective in the real world? By the end you will!
• We look at the latest statistics for South Tyneside, including those relating to teenage conception rates, abortion rates and cervical screening and discuss the new guidelines on the HPV vaccination programme.
• We then finish by discussing how we can all “Make Every Contact Count” and help people to maintain good sexual health. We review the services that we have locally and the range of support available.

Duration

3 hours

For dates and times 

Please visit the calendar at the bottom of this page.

No dates available? 

To be notified when dates become available email training@firstcontactclinical.co.uk or call 0191 432 9838