Mental Health Awareness Training for the Maritime Industry

Could you tell if someone needed help? Would you know what to do?

This training will help participants to recognise early signs of crew who may be struggling and develop the skills needed to respond effectively.

We offer in-house trainings for companies with 12 or more participants, and open access sessions for individuals or smaller groups.

Currently our courses are designed to be delivered online as live, interactive sessions. Once international restrictions allow, we will return to offering face-to-face training as requested.

Upcoming open access dates

We do not currently have any open access training sessions scheduled, but you can express your interest using our enquiry form here. Future training dates will be led by demand so please get in touch with us if you would like to participate.

Why choose this training?

All of our courses are:

• Designed by Consultant Clinical Psychologist Dr. Pennie Blackburn, author of the ISWAN Good Mental Health Guides and Mentally Healthy Ships: Policy and Practice to Promote Mental Health on Board
• Informed by ISWAN’s extensive experience of supporting seafarers through the unique challenges they face
• Delivered by experienced mental health professionals
• Grounded in best practice for promoting good mental health at sea
• Suitable for seafarers in the Merchant Navy and superyacht industries

Who is it for?

Our trainings are ideal for those regularly interacting with seafarers, such as shoreside/port service providers, Wellbeing Champions, chaplains, welfare workers, and insurers – as well as crew themselves.

We also welcome requests from those working in other seafarer-facing support roles, and if necessary can work with you to adapt or develop training content specific to your organisational needs.

Our trainings are inclusive of different cultures and nationalities, and we have a network of Associate Trainers who can deliver the content in Tagalog or Mandarin.

What modules are available?

Module 1: Introduction to Mental Health

Builds an awareness of mental health and wellbeing, addresses stigma and common myths, and introduces a better understanding of the language and terminology around mental health and psychological wellbeing.

Module 2: Recognising Signs and First Response

Builds on Module 1’s introduction to mental health awareness, develops participants’ capacity to recognise signs and symptoms of crew members who may be struggling with their mental health, and introduces the use of Psychological First Aid (PFA) as a framework for initial response.

Module 3: Suicide Prevention

Provides a more advanced level of training to those who have completed Modules 1 and 2 and would benefit from a greater understanding of suicide awareness, risk and prevention.

Bespoke Trainings

As passionate advocates of increasing mental health awareness and education in the maritime sector, we are always open to conversations about how best to suit you and your organisation’s individual needs and circumstances. We can tailor our trainings to be relevant to, and inclusive of, your unique company language, policies, values, and situations.

We can arrange to offer bespoke webinars to large groups, and also welcome invitations to speak at crew conferences, workshops, and away-days.

What have others said about this training?

‘The training was engaging, informative and has started a lot of conversations in house! I think we are all better equipped to recognise when someone needs help, whether that’s crew, colleagues or ourselves’ – Personnel, MHG Insurance

‘I learnt so much about mental health and being aware, looking out for signs of distress. The great thing is that this information can be used for seafarers, work shore side and one’s personal life’ – Personnel, Master Yachts Consultancy

‘We are so appreciative of the extra time you took to understand our needs and to tailor the course for us. Personally, I found the course illuminating and thought-provoking and hope that it will help me manage my own mental health as well as making me a better colleague and insurance professional’ – Personnel, MHG Insurance

‘We are very appreciated with your professional presentation to train our Chinese seafarers in these two days afternoon to get knowledge of MMHA, please allow me to forward the thanks for your good works for and on behalf of 17 sea staffs, we believe they all will convert the learning from course into the works onboard to improve the atmosphere significantly and maintain a positive relationship with each other onboard our Fleet ships’ – Mr. Li Guojun, Manning Manager, CLSICO

Contact us

To enquire about private training for your company or organisation, or to express your individual interest in future training sessions, please complete our enquiry form here.