Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Mental Health First Aid and Mental Health Issues (Self-Study)
Phil started his course with us in our funding year of 22/23 in June.
Background
Phil’s background has been traumatic, and he has been diagnosed with PTSD. His wife passed away from cancer just before the first Covid lockdown. He then suffered a heart attack and became depressed during COVID-19 as he was on his own recovering. He then went back to work in construction which had been his career, but he then fell from a roof and broke his jaw, wrists and kneecap and had to go through many operations and cognitive therapy from banging his head. This meant Phil could no longer work in the construction industry and became unemployed.
Starting the Course
Phil decided to take a course in Mental Health First Aid and Advocacy to help himself really to gain an understanding of his own mental health and how to deal with it. Could it help him on his road to recovery as he had time on his hands? He really enjoyed the course although he took longer than expected to finish his course due to operations on his wrists –he still has one operation left. The course has given Phil the confidence to learn again – he is sixty now and he does not wish to retire yet due to his health.
Future
The course gave Phil the confidence to think about his career and he applied for a cleaning job and started this week just as he completed this course and although this is not a career path for Phil as he wants to become a Health and Safety Officer – he just wants to be working again and he has said it is because this course has given him focus and the confidence to do so. Phil has discussed with me once settled into his cleaning job taking either a Certificate in Counselling Skills to volunteer in this field or further Certificate in Awareness of Mental Health Problems. Phil is a person who has now a positive outlook on life.
