We know that promoting better mental health practices personally, in school, in the workplace, on social media and across all aspects of life is an increasingly important topic of discussion. We hear it in the media, we talk about it with our friends and family, workplaces say they’re implementing it to support staff – but what does that really mean in practice?
With Mental Health Awareness week starting on 11th May and this year’s theme being to ‘take action’, we spoke to Liverpool City Council about how they use training as an essential part of their toolkit to do exactly that.
The Challenge
Liverpool City Council recognised that there was increasing pressure on its workforce, including rising stress levels, mental health concerns and the impact of organisational change. Staff feedback and absence data had highlighted that while support was available, it wasn’t always joined up, visible, or managers didn’t always feel confident in knowing how and when to respond.
A more consistent, proactive approach to mental health and wellbeing, particularly to support managers and reduce stigma around mental health conversations, was needed, not just in pockets but across the whole organisation.
The Approach
The Council introduced a whole-organisation approach to mental health and wellbeing, embedding it into everyday working practices rather than treating it as a standalone initiative, and this has driven real cultural change.
But how did they achieve this, and perhaps more importantly, how did they know it was working? The key actions that drove change included:
- Delivering mental health training with St John Ambulance’s two-day Mental Health First Aid course
- Relaunching the Wellbeing Champions network to provide local, peer‑based support across services
- Strengthening promotion and use of the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) as a key source of confidential support
- Embedding wellbeing into Let’s Talk 1 to 1s, making regular wellbeing conversations a normal part of manager–employee check‑ins
- Improving signposting to support, tools, and guidance across the organisation
Some key measures of success were put in place; staff feedback and engagement, training evaluations, insights from staff surveys, feedback from managers and wellbeing champions were all monitored, but the main indicator was improving the way people talked about and responded to mental health.
The Impact
Liverpool City Council told us they have seen a real shift in the way mental health is viewed in the workplace. It is no longer seen as something addressed only when things go wrong, but is now part of everyday leadership and people management, with training providing a real cornerstone for building confidence, recognising early warning signs and having supportive conversations.
They found that after implementation, they saw:
- Increased confidence among managers to have meaningful mental health conversations
- Greater visibility and uptake of the EAP
- Stronger engagement with wellbeing initiatives
- A more connected and empowered Wellbeing Champions network
- A noticeable shift towards earlier intervention rather than crisis response
Their experience shows that mental health training, visible support systems, and regular wellbeing conversations can drive meaningful cultural change. Embedding wellbeing into trusted processes, such as their Let’s Talk 1 to 1s, has been critical in making wellbeing everyone’s responsibility.
Wellbeing Champions at Work
So, how is this achieved? Wellbeing Champion Basil Palakkadan Mathew told us:
"For me, being a Wellbeing Champion isn’t just a title, it’s about regularly checking in with colleagues and making wellbeing part of everyday working life."
"In my role, I work closely with people who experience a range of mental health conditions. Through this, I saw how important it is to understand mental health properly and to respond in the right way when someone is struggling or in crisis."
"I wanted to build my confidence and knowledge so I could better support colleagues by offering a safe, non-judgemental space where people feel able to talk openly and be signposted to the right support."
Wellbeing Champions complete the St John Ambulance Mental Health First Aid course. "My training gave me practical tools I use every day. I didn’t always feel confident supporting people, especially in crisis situations but now I feel prepared, calm and confident to have honest conversations about mental health, respond appropriately when someone is struggling, share accurate information and make sure colleagues know where to get help."
Basil told us that their training helped turn good intentions into confident action, with key takeaways from the training session including:
- Recognising early signs of poor mental health
- Knowing how to start supportive conversations
- Understanding what to do in crisis or emergency situations
- Being clear about available support and signposting pathways
Working Together to Make a Difference
To give their staff the confidence and skills to have meaningful mental health conversations and help to create a proactive network ready to support across the organisation, they were looking for a training partner with a trusted reputation. Importantly, they wanted managers and Wellbeing Champions to be able to learn skills they could immediately put into practice.
This meant training needed to be high-quality in its delivery, practical and have a real-world approach. That’s where St John Ambulance’s two-day Mental Health First Aid course comes in. Using real-world case studies through scenario-based learning, the course equips Mental Health First Aiders with the skills to actively listen and create a safe space for open conversations, leading to a healthier and more resilient community.
Upon completing the course, Mental Health First Aiders have the additional option to achieve the Level 3 Award in Mental Health First Aid (RQF), providing people with the opportunity to not only gain skills but a qualification by completing a separate assessment. Something which Liverpool City Council highly recommend their attendees complete to give their staff a recognised Level 3 qualification and empower them with both skills and confidence.
Making a Life-changing Difference
But it’s one thing to look at the data alone. An organisational shift only happens when it affects individual people enough that they notice it. Basil says:
"I was asked to support a colleague who had been off sick with anxiety and depression and was struggling to engage with support."
"I contacted them by phone, listened to what they were experiencing, and with their permission signposted them to NHS Talking Therapies and shared emergency support contacts if needed."
"They later told me how helpful the conversation was and thanked me for reaching out. It reinforced how powerful early, compassionate support can be. Being a Wellbeing Champion has strengthened my communication, listening, and empathy skills. It has shown me that small conversations can have a big impact and that creating a supportive workplace culture really does make a difference."
Take Action
As a training organisation and charity that aims to put the power into people’s hands to act with confidence and clarity, we have been delighted to support Liverpool City Council on their journey to improving mental health in the workplace, something we believe in passionately within our own organisation too. Hearing the real-life impact training can make to confidence, response and people’s wellbeing – not to mention productivity increases and reductions in absence and presenteeism – is heartening and demonstrates that simple steps can create a big difference.
We offer a wide range of mental health training options. A great place to start is by looking at our Mental Health Continuum which shows how our mix of courses can help you to create a mentally healthy workplace that encourages inclusivity, positivity and productivity. Take a look at how we can support your organisation by browsing our training options on our website and take action today.
With thanks to Donna Hall CMgr FCMI, Strategic Engagement and Inclusion Lead, and Basil Palakkadan Mathew, Wellbeing Champion, from Liverpool City Council, for their time and insights.
