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A group of young people in Edinburgh have benefitted from accredited training in mental health first aid - thanks to the support of a national business operating in Edinburgh and the Lothians. 

NSL Parking, a provider of parking enforcement services to local authorities Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian, engaged with the portal having seen a request from 6VT.

6VT is a city centre youth charity running activities, events and support for young people & children. Their experienced team of youth and social workers offer a "one stop shop" to address the needs and provide positive outlets for young people in the city from a range of backgrounds

NSL kindly donated the time of an employee who happens to be a qualified first aid mental health trainer – putting 11 young people through their Level 4 qualification in Mental Health First Aid, with the company also paying for their certification.

Fiona Horne, Operations Manager at 6VT said: “The young people we work with come from a diverse range of backgrounds across the city, also with a diverse range of experiences and potential challenges. One challenge that is important to everyone regardless of their background is recognising the need to look after their own mental health as well as supporting the mental health of those around them through life. We’ve had some really positive feedback from the young people who took part today and whilst they explored some hard-hitting subject matter they have definitely gained a better understanding of how to spot and support signs of mental health issues with their friends, at home or at school”.

The session was delivered by Ross Gallier, a Skills Trainer with NSL, who is based in Edinburgh but covers their UK operations.

Ross said: “We had already engaged with the ESES Communities portal twice – once where I offered the same training to Volunteering Matters staff and on another occasion my colleagues helped out at Cyrenians foodbank. Delivering the same training to the young people at 6VT has been very valuable and it’s rewarding for us as an organisation to be able to support local young people in the communities we work at such an important stage in their lives. They showed a real appetite for learning and genuine concern for the subject matter we explored so I hope this can help them to understand the impact of mental health in themselves, others and how to support them.”

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