The Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) has started to train Manchester Metrolink staff in mental health awareness to improve the skills needed support to support someone in distress. So far more than 120 of Metrolink’s frontline customer service staff received this life-saving training through the GMMH’s Recovery Academy so that they can be better at supporting the public in the region experiencing poor mental health.
The course the staff have undertaken helps people learn evidence-based techniques to respond to people in distress and how to signpost them to the right support services available.
The training is the latest in a number of initiatives adopted by the transport company to open up a positive conversation about wellbeing and provide staff with the skills to help people most in need.
Damian Chabas, Director of Customer Experience, Growth and Innovation at KeolisAmey Metrolink (KAM), said: “At KAM, we are committed to supporting the communities of Greater Manchester, and our customers are at the heart of everything we do. Working in partnership with GMMH’s Recovery Academy has enabled our frontline customer service teams to receive first class training to equip them with the skills needed to recognise when customers may need assistance and how to signpost them to specialist mental health support services.”