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Let's be Real - Mental Health for Young Minds

International school mental health training

One focused programme for international school communities: staff who know what to do in the moment, students with the language to name what they feel, and parents who hear the same message at home.

We are an ECIS member working with international schools in Germany and across Europe, delivering in English and German. Most schools begin with one staff training day and build from there.

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Built for the international school context

  • High staff turnover - onboarding sessions so the language survives each intake
  • Transition and mobility - support for students arriving mid-year and leaving mid-cycle
  • Third-culture identity, belonging and the pressure of repeated goodbyes
  • Families spread across cultures and time zones, with sessions offered online

Staff training - Youth Mental Health Response

  • NOTICE - spotting early changes in a busy timetable
  • HOLD - staying in the conversation without taking on a clinical role
  • LEAD - escalation, referral and safeguarding handover for leadership
  • Boundaries and staff wellbeing for the people carrying the load

Student mental health literacy modules

  • Six modules mapped across year groups, 45 to 60 minutes each
  • Emotional literacy, stress, sleep, healthy relationships and digital wellbeing
  • How to ask for help, and what happens when you do
  • Written to sit inside advisory, PSHE or form time - no extra timetable slot

Parent and carer sessions

Evening or morning sessions in English or German that give families the same vocabulary the school is using, so a conversation started in a classroom can continue at the kitchen table.

A typical first year

  • Term 1 - staff training day and a leadership session on referral pathways
  • Term 2 - student modules delivered with your pastoral team
  • Term 3 - parent evening, plus a review of what changed and what is next

Delivery and languages

In person across Germany and Europe, or online. English and German, with bilingual parent cohorts where a community needs both. Youth Mental Health Response is our school-specific framework, inspired by Mental Health First Aid principles and adapted for the roles and realities of international schools. It is independently developed and not MHFA-accredited - we are explicit about that so schools can choose what they need.

Free guide for school leaders

A short, practical download you can use before any training starts.

Common questions

What does international school mental health training actually cover?
Three strands: mental health literacy for students, Youth Mental Health Response training for staff, and parent sessions so families hear the same language at home. Schools choose the order and the pace.
How long does a training day take?
A staff training day is typically six hours on site, or two online blocks of three hours. Student modules run 45 to 60 minutes and sit inside advisory, PSHE or form time.
Can you deliver in English and German?
Yes. Every session runs in English or German, and we run bilingual parent cohorts where a community needs both.
Do you understand the pressures specific to international schools?
Yes - high staff turnover, transition and mobility, third-culture identity, and families spread across time zones. The training is written for that context rather than adapted from a national curriculum.
What happens when staff or families move on?
We build a refresh cycle into the plan: a short onboarding session for new staff and a repeat parent evening each year, so the shared language survives turnover.
How do we start?
A 20-minute discovery call, then a short co-design conversation about your community. We come back with a phased plan across students, staff and parents.
Is this an accredited MHFA course?
No. Our curriculum is independently developed and MHFA-informed rather than an accredited Mental Health First Aid course. It is not quality-assured by MHFA England or any official MHFA provider, and we are explicit about that so schools can choose what they need.
What does 'MHFA-informed' actually mean?
It means we share MHFA's first-response philosophy - notice the signs, stay calm, listen without fixing, guide towards the right help - but the content is our own, built around the ANCHOR framework and split across the NOTICE, HOLD and LEAD tiers. Where a school wants an accredited qualification, we say so and point to certified First Aid for Mental Health courses.

Ask us about this programme

Tell us a little about your school or family and we will reply with dates, formats and pricing - usually within one working day.

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Plan training for your school

Book a 20-minute school discovery call. We'll map your priorities and propose a phased plan across staff, students and parents.

Book a 20-minute school discovery callAbout Let's Be Real