Student Roost achieves Mental Health First Aider milestone

Student Roost, one of the largest purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) providers in the UK, has achieved a milestone number of team members who are trained in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA).

The training course, delivered by Mental Health First Aid England, was introduced within Student Roost in 2020, with 26 team members taking part in the first cohort. Today, out of a 600-plus strong team across HQ and operations, more than 100 team members are trained in Mental Health First Aid.

Mental Health First Aid England’s mission is to train one in ten people in mental health awareness and skills. At Student Roost alone, this figure is doubled.

Completing the training enables team members to provide impartial support and signposting to both colleagues and residents who are concerned about their mental health or experiencing emotional distress or in crisis. MHFA’s are never expected to, or trained to, offer a diagnosis or medical advice.

As part of Student Roost’s continued commitment to the mental wellbeing of its residents and team members, opportunities to attend training are released twice a year, while refresher courses are offered every two years to those who have already obtained certification.

Following the launch of Student Roost’s #BehindEveryDoor movement, Resident Wellbeing and Learning and Development leaders have seen an increase in the number of team members signing up to complete the training and become mental health champions.

Alongside the expanding interest in training, Student Roost’s Learning and Development team have introduced two new MHFA England certified courses; Mental Health Aware and Adult MHFA One Day Champion Course.

Lowri Edwards, Resident Wellbeing Manager at Student Roost, said:

“The dedication of our team members to provide safe spaces, remarkable experiences and meaningful connections for our residents is evident from the number of Mental Health First Aider’s who have completed their training.

“Our team member and resident communities within Student Roost are supportive and inclusive and with 211 MHFA’s across the business, someone is always available to provide advice and lend an ear when it’s needed the most.

“The MHFA training, alongside our internal resident wellbeing and learning and development courses and programmes, equip our team members with the skills and confidence to support others in times of need, and further strengthens our dedicated resident wellbeing and suicide prevention strategies.”

Sarah McIntosh, Chief Executive, MHFA England, added:

“Student Roost’s commitment to training over 100 Mental Health First Aiders is a powerful example of how organisations can lead the way in building mentally healthy environments, where people and communities thrive.

“By embedding support into their culture and investing in their people, they are helping to create spaces where wellbeing is prioritised and conversations about mental health are part of daily life. We’re proud to partner with them and support their continued efforts to transform how we talk about and support mental health.”