Our 2.5 hour workshop introduces participants to powerful techniques and coping strategies that can change habits and behaviours thus protecting against stress, anxiety and low mood:

• Understand how our stress response influences the way we behave
• Learn how to trigger our feel-good brain chemicals to boost contentment
• Discover how to focus and quieten the mind
• Understand how habits influence behaviour and how they can be changed
• Discover why the natural world can boost mental well-being and resilience
• Understand the mind-body connection and why movement and exercise are important
• Learn about meaning and why it can even reduce the risk of dementia
• Take control of decision making
• Learn the joys of being present in your life and why this brings calm, clarity and even a better memory
• Understand why compassion is central to who we are and how to silence the inner critic.

This course is aimed specifically at all those concerned with mental health and wellbeing of staff and service users in the VCSE sector.

Please note this training is aimed at voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations and groups based in North Yorkshire or delivering services within North Yorkshire. 

Attendees will be emailed electronic resources post-course designed summarise course content and allow the techniques to be practised. An email link to the instructor is also available to access information and to report on progress with the challenge after the event.

Mark Willis is a qualified PGCE adult education teacher/trainer with a wealth of experience in teaching courses such as Mental Health First Aid, ASIST, SafeTalk Suicide Prevention, Stress Reduction, Mental Health Awareness for the Workplace and Mindfulness. He currently owns and is lead trainer for Wider Sky (Training) Ltd, providing mental health training solutions to corporate, local authority, statutory and charity organisations.

Previously, Mark was employed by York MIND for nine years as Lead Trainer and Training Manager before leaving to create his own company in June 2024. He combines his passion for mental well-being training with sound marketing and people skills -while also providing talks and course writing services.

£35 (including VAT)

Concessionary places 

Thanks to funding from North Yorkshire Council, we have free ‘first come, first served’ places if you meet either of the criteria below. You can self-select a free place during booking.

Criteria: 

You are from a North Yorkshire VCSE organisation with an income of up to £5k

OR

You are from a North Yorkshire VCSE organisation with an income of up to £25k that is experiencing financial hardship and would struggle to pay.

These spaces are limited so if a free place is not shown when you go to book, you can ask to be added to the waiting list for a free place on a future training session.

No shows and concessions 

Please note that if you don’t attend training that you have booked on without giving seven days notice, you will be required to make the full payment. This also applies to free places. This is to allow as many participants as possible access to our training. See our  Terms and Conditions  for more information.

Booking queries contact
Email: info@communityfirstyorkshire.org.uk 

Programme queries
Email: communitysupport@communityfirstyorkshire.org.uk

Tel: 01904 704177

Book your place here.

Booking deadline date: 8 June