What is Mental Health First Aid? Meet MDR's mental health first aiders

As part of Mental Health Awareness Week, we spoke with MDR's mental health first aiders about the support they offer to MDR staff and students.

Dr Joram Posma

In our first profile, we hear from Dr Joram Posma, a Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Informatics from the Section of Bioinformatics, who discusses why he wanted to be a Mental Health First Aider and what it takes to become one.

"I wanted to do the training to know better how I can provide support, and especially what type of support is appropriate at what times."

Read Joram's profile

Shazi Singh

In our second profile, we hear from Shazi Singh, a Personal Assistant and Academic Secretary in the Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology & Metabolism, who comments on what to do if you think you have a mental health issue.

"Reach out for help, whether it's to a colleague, friend, family member, or professional, talking about what you're going through is the first step."

Read Shazi's profile 

Dr Caroline Sands, Dr Jia Li and Kate Chappell

In our final profile, we hear from Dr Caroline Sands, Dr Jia Li and Kate Chappell. Caroline is a Research Associate at the Phenome Centre, Jia is a Reader in Biological Chemistry in the Section of Nutrition and Kate is a technician in the Phenome Centre. They touch on what they have found most rewarding from their roles as Mental Health First Aiders.

"Our understanding of mental health has grown significantly. We now feel confident in providing support to students, colleagues, and family, and friends should they need it."

Read Caroline's, Kate's and Jia's profile

MDR's Mental Health First Aiders

• Miss Katie Chappell - katie.chappell@imperial.ac.uk
• Dr Jia Li - jia.li@imperial.ac.uk
• Dr Joram Posma - j.posma11@imperial.ac.uk
• Dr Caroline Sands - caroline.sands01@imperial.ac.uk
• Ms Shazi Singh - shazi.singh@imperial.ac.uk
• Mrs Danielle Thornton - d.thornton@imperial.ac.uk

Do you want to become a Mental Health First Aider?

Our Mental Health First Aid courses teach people to identify common symptoms of mental health issues, offer first-line help and guide a person towards support. Mental Health First Aid training is available for staff who are involved in supporting colleagues or students.