Scottish Mental Health First Aid (SMHFA) Training for Trainers Course

Public Health Scotland (PHS) will host an online Scottish Mental Health First Aid (SMHFA) Training for Trainers course in March 2026.

With continued national focus on mental health and suicide prevention, PHS highlights the importance of ensuring workforces are competent and confident in responding to mental health needs.

Places on the course will be prioritised for applicants working within key sectors aligned to PHS mental health and suicide prevention programmes. These include:

• Health and Social Care; including emergency responders and community pharmacy
• Frontline Support Services: such as debt and money advice, housing and homelessness, violence against women and girls, community justice, addictions services, transport (e.g. bus and taxi drivers), hospitality and retail (including hairdressers and barbers), leisure, fitness and sport, and those supporting minority groups including asylum seekers and refugees, Gypsy/Traveller communities, care-experienced people and other minoritised groups
• Education: including higher and further education, counsellors and youth work
• Third Sector Organisations: including voluntary organisations and charities

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

• Have completed the two-day SMHFA course within the last 12 months and be able to provide the dates of completion (the course must be completed prior to application)
• Be available to attend all five days of the online course: 16, 17, 18, 25 and 26 March 2026
• Be free from other commitments during the course, as it is intensive and includes required development and skills practice elements

PHS has advised that completion of this course will NOT qualify participants to deliver the two-day SMHFA course online. The online delivery format applies to the Training for Trainers course only.

Application Process

Applications can be made online via the Public Health Scotland website (linked for your convenience). There are 12 places available across Scotland.

Applications must be submitted by Saturday 28 February 2026. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

Successful applicants will be notified by Friday 6 March 2026. Due to the anticipated high volume of applications, individual feedback will not be provided to unsuccessful applicants.

For further information or queries, please read the Frequently Asked Questions document (linked for your convenience), or contact: phs.mhandsplearningresources@phs.scot