The SEIU-West Education Committee regularly looks for educational events to send members to. We know that mental health has been a huge struggle for folks and wanted to investigate Mental Health First Aid Training hosted by the Canadian Mental Health Association Saskatoon Branch.
Have a read of their reports:
Darlene:
I am going to try my best to put onto paper what I experienced on Nov 3, 2025.
The Mental Health First Aid, designed by Opening Minds and facilitated by a human with an incredible contagious passion, is something that everyone should invest in. It wasn’t a usual passion of jumping up and down excitement, but instead a passion, that I feel, adds to what the SEIU-West Anti-Harassment and Bullying course reinforces to people. I am so proud and blessed to be able to facilitate for members of all departments all over Saskatchewan and now be able to add this to my toolbox.
I want to express my sincere gratitude to SEIU-West for taking such an important step forward in promoting mental health and wellness for everyone. Addressing a topic of growing concern is never easy knowing when to act, what to do, or even when to pause can be challenging. Personally, I’ve not had access to mental health modules at my workplace, so I truly appreciate this opportunity to learn and improve myself. Thank you for leading the way and making this possible.
It’s so important to first and foremost remember that everyone has their own life. Their own hurts, pain, illnesses, pasts and not everyone is an open book. These, we learned, are risk factors. They are the things that formed us and made us who and what we are today and why we do things that we do. People don’t live the exact same lives, so why does anyone feel that their pains are exactly the same?
You do not live inside someone’s head! You have absolutely no idea what someone else is thinking unless you ask them, and then they must be willing to open up. This is the Iceberg Effect. You only
see a small portion showing on the surface. What’s hidden underneath is so much greater. This has challenged me to reach a little deeper in how I am reacting to things at work and in my personal life. People are not always thriving. Sometimes they are barely surviving.
We learned about ALGES and how to apply this to reaching out to people. We were reminded how important it is to remain mindful and have awareness in conversations and also reminded that it is impossible to be able to have all the answers for everyone. Practicing self-care to maintain our own well-being is not only important—it's completely necessary and acceptable.
There was a variety of information on places that we could go to for assistance and for directing others on what they may require. I appreciated learning that we must meet people where they are, rather than expecting them to meet us on our terms. Also, don’t make their hurt yours. Yes, I mean you can’t make their pain go away. I also mean, even if it relates to you, keep it about them. Ask open-ended questions and give them the time, or silence, to think. Don’t take away their power to make decisions. Healing only comes from knowing what you truly need and then the supports to make it happen.
To foster a safe environment that people want to open up and seek assistance, we first need to encourage and use better language that combats the stigma surrounding mental health. People will let things go on for far too long because they don’t want to be labelled.
I want to thank everyone involved in sending me on this first part of an incredible course. There is a two-day course next year and after we are able to write a quiz and become certified. This is an experience of personal growth that I thank you very much for. There are so many things I have been exposed to and the growth supported by my union, the members, my friends, and of course my husband is beyond words. Let’s continue to grow and become leaders in building a better world. This is a step in the right direction, and I do hope that others will find value in this as well. Personally, I feel it is a very informative course and should be offered to members.
Not everyone needs a solution; sometimes simply being heard is what matters most.
Thank you again, Darlene
Heather:
I will try to take a few moments this afternoon to try and put into words what I learned at the Mental Health First Aid Class I was privileged to attend.
This class was done through the Canadian Mental Health Society (who are the experts in this area) and it was so very evident that this was their passion as the course was presented to us. Our instructor did not even have to tell us this was her passion, as she displayed that to us throughout the day in her instruction. It carried over in her care for us as her “students” for the day.
I do not feel my words will do justice to what I learned and will carry forward into my everyday life, and what I will carry into my workplace and share with my co-workers.
Maybe I will start by sharing that this affected me on a very personal level, and that is why I was so anxious to take this opportunity to learn. I have experienced mental health issues since high school, and struggled to share that for many decades with anyone, and I was too ashamed of myself to get help. I felt as if I was alone on a wee deserted island and the waves kept crashing in, and the island was becoming smaller, and I would soon drown. There were no ships, no boards, not even a canoe around to help me.
Only by reading some self-help books and trying desperately to do some very inward, deep, and hard work, did I start seeking the help of a doctor. Eventually, I started sharing my story around the city on the United Way Speaker’s Bureau for many years. Had I only known so many years ago about the Mental Health First Aid Class and the Canadian Mental Health Society, I could have been saved from so many very dark, dark years.
I loved learning about the ALGES.
Assess for risk and suicide. This is a must to make sure you and the other person are safe and not at risk. This will help you make an informed decision as to how to proceed next.
Listen non-judgmentally. Sometimes this can mean all they can get out is one sentence and then you may have to sit in silence for a long period of time. This is okay. The person may need that silent time to process, to sort through some things. It may just be exactly what they need.
Give reassurance and information. Make sure they know they are not alone and that what they are feeling is validated.
Encourage appropriate professional help. If they are open and willing to accept that, then lead them to those resources. If they are not ready for that step, you must accept where they are at.
Self-Care is also so important. These situations can be very hard and we must not forget to take care of ourselves also. Remember, we cannot pour from an empty cup! These steps are fluid steps also, and that is very important to remember.
From my experience of sexual and emotional/mental abuse, I did not have anyone who understood what I had and was going through. What a difference it would have made to have someone to just listen and someone to just sit beside me when I needed to cry. The ALGES will work.
I have also taken from this day of training that I want to continue to work on myself, so I am a safe person for people to approach if they need someone to talk to. I need to keep myself updated on the resources in our community and have those pamphlets on hand or phone numbers in my phone, so they are handy for when they are needed in a crisis. If I want to help, I need the tools.
I am so thankful for SEIU-West for giving me the opportunity to attend this one-day course to better myself first and foremost, as it allowed me to heal even more as I reached further down into myself to places I had not wanted to go yet. More healing has begun, thus more work has begun. Hard work, yes, but from past work, it is worth it.
Secondly, I love to talk about what I have learned with those I work with and my friends, as I feel this course would benefit everyone. Those of us working in the healthcare field are seeing more and more mental health issues among ourselves and patients. This is a class that all need to be taking, from management to workers to patients.
This class is nicely put together as it is both personal and professional, makes one look into themselves and also look into how they are treating others. It gives the resources and tools to help those struggling with various mental health issues. This one-day class has and will continue to positively impact my life everyday going forward. Thank you.
Heather, SEIU-West Member
Char:
Wow, I really can’t say anything more about the MHFA Training than what has been summed up already. It was such an awesome course! I have already used some of what we learned in my workplace and personal life. The different people in the course was truly an asset to our class.
What I can repeat is that I recommend anyone taking this course. The instructor was very knowledgeable and understanding to everyone participating.
Thanks for the opportunity to attend.