Training for Staff

The University offers a range of training packages aimed at enhancing staff member’s understanding of mental health and student support. We would recommend that you look at these on-line resources via Staffnet before booking onto more in-depth face to face sessions.

Please note that support within the University operates within a Stepped Care Framework which all university staff should have an understanding of. We would strongly recommend that you engage with this on-line training which explains this model as a prerequisite to the face to face sessions.

Face to Face

The Counselling & Mental Health Service offer a series of 2 workshops which can be followed up with a bookable ‘reflective session’ which staff can attend as and when required. Please note that you will be required to have completed workshop 1 to enrol onto workshop 2 and you will be required to have completed both workshops to book onto the reflective sessions.

Content Warning: Please note that all our face-to-face sessions cover difficult subjects. Research suggests that it is important to have open and frank discussions about mental health and this will include the subject of serious mental distress and suicidal thoughts. Staff facilitating the sessions will approach this with sensitivity. However, we want you to be aware that these subjects will be covered before you book a session.

  1. WORKSHOP: LLCS0001 Student Mental Health Matters: spotting the signs, knowing what to say and knowing what to do (20-25 staff maximum).

This face-to-face workshop is an interactive training session with a focus on student mental health (both undergraduate and post-graduate). The training covers all aspects of mental health but there is a focus on what to do in difficult situations where the concern about a student may be very high. This training will cover suicide prevention and how to have a conversation with a student about their potential risk. Pathways to support and help will be explained and there will be opportunity to discuss anonymised cases (no role play). All the trainers delivering this session are experienced mental health practitioners who have worked in an NHS and HE settings.

Further information regarding dates and, booking a place can be found via the staff training catalogue.

2. WORKSHOP: BSCS00001 Being a Secure Base for Others (20-25 staff maximum).

This face-to-face workshop is an interactive session with a focus on students’ behaviour/distress and the psychological impact on their wellbeing. The training covers all aspects of psychological distress but there is a focus on how to help a vulnerable student learn, think and reflect by creating a helping relationship. This session also provides a supportive space where staff can explore how they can look after their own emotional needs whilst helping others. Again, this this training will cover some potentially triggering subjects, including suicide prevention and how to have a conversation with a student about their potential risk.
This workshop is aimed at the following staff:

  • Staff who have a pastoral or supportive role with students
  • Staff who work with students on a regular basis

Further information regarding dates, and booking a place can be found via the staff training catalogue.

3. RSCS00001 Staff Reflective Session - Putting learning into practice (15 staff maximum)

This will be an interactive, reflective session with a focus on providing staff, in a student facing role, with a safe and confidential space amongst peers. There will be opportunity to participate in reflection and discussions around themes, patterns, difficult conversations, and complex cases. You can expect to participate in anonymised case discussions where you can look at ways in which you can manage your own emotions whilst also holding the other person’s. It will cover themes around recognising early signs of burnout / compassion fatigue and how to manage this and look at how you can adopt a more compassionate approach to yourselves as a member of staff in a demanding role. The session will be facilitated by experienced therapists/mental health practitioners who have got a great knowledge of the demands of working in a student facing role in a Higher Education setting.

Further information regarding dates, and booking a place can be found via the staff training catalogue.

Training for PGR Supervisors

We offer two online modules focused on supporting Post-Graduate Research students. These sessions were originally developed by the University of Durham and have been adapted for supervisors at the University of Manchester:


Supporting PGR Mental Health and Wellbeing for PGR Supervisors provides an overview of mental health in the context of postgraduate research. The course offers supervisors guidance on how they can identify, respond to and support postgraduate researchers in distress.


Case Studies for PGR Supervision in the Context of Mental Health Difficulties explore the process of supervision of postgraduate researchers when supervisees are having difficulties.

External Training:


We recommend the training offered by the University and the Counselling & Mental Health Service. If you are unable to attend this or wish to re-cap, please be aware of these resources which can be accessed any time on-line:

University student suicide awareness training (zerosuicidealliance.com)

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