How it differs from a standard course
A standard MHFA course teaches one generic response pathway. We split the work by role - NOTICE for parents, HOLD for staff who sit with distress, LEAD for those who carry responsibility for others.
Let's Be Real - Mental Health for Young Minds
Youth Mental Health Response for schools and organisations
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 for the people who actually hold the moment: teachers, school leaders, youth workers and managers.
Our Youth Mental Health Response programme rests on our proprietary ANCHOR framework. This is what we mean when we say that the curriculum is independently developed, not an accredited MHFA course.
Core content
- Signs and symptoms of common mental health challenges in young people
- First-response conversations using the ANCHOR framework
- Risk, escalation and safeguarding handover
- Stigma, help-seeking and what stops young people speaking up
- Looking after the responder
Who books it
- International schools in Germany, across Europe and beyond
- School leadership and safeguarding teams
- Youth organisations and sports clubs
- Employers running staff wellbeing programmes
Duration and format
One day, with an optional second day for the HOLD tier. In person or online, in English or German.
Common questions
- Is this an accredited MHFA certificate?
- No. 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 by Let's Be Real and is not an accredited MHFA course. 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 signs, stay calm, listen without fixing, guide to help - and then apply it through our own school-specific framework: the ANCHOR model and the NOTICE, HOLD and LEAD tiers. We have built our own content, case studies and assessment for international schools. The course is not quality-assured by MHFA England or any official MHFA provider.
- Why choose an independent curriculum over accredited MHFA?
- Accredited MHFA teaches one syllabus to a mixed room. Youth Mental Health Response is built for the roles and realities of international schools: mixed-culture, high-mobility communities where parents, teachers and leaders each need a different depth of skill. It maps response skills to specific roles, integrates mental health literacy and neurodivergence, and can be adapted to your school's referral and safeguarding systems. It is a specialist offer, not a generic certificate.
- Who is your training designed for?
- Teachers, support staff, school leaders, youth workers and managers - anyone likely to be the first adult a young person turns to. The tiers match the level of responsibility each role carries.
- Is this suitable for international schools?
- Yes. Most of our work is with international schools in Germany, across Europe and beyond, and every session runs in English or German with mixed-culture, high-mobility communities in mind.
- Can we mix roles in one cohort?
- Yes, though we usually recommend separating leadership from wider staff so the conversations can go deeper.
Related pages
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.
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.