Little Voices, the popular national performing arts school, has achieved 100% MHFA England (Mental Health First Aid) training for its network of 31 franchisees – the only such training approved by the Department of Health and Social Care.
Co-founded in 2007 by Jane James, a classically-trained opera singer from Blackburn in Lancashire, multi-award winning Little Voices grows confidence, builds vital life skills, and nurtures talent through LAMDA-based drama & singing classes for children & young people aged 4 – 18.
“Wellbeing is central to our DNA at Little Voices,” Jane says.“We’ve been talking about the benefits of our lessons on children’s mental wellbeing long before it became headline news.
“So extending the nurturing of positive mindset and good mental health to the workplace through the introduction of a number of wellbeing initiatives cements and builds on that.”
As well as a wellbeing policy, Little Voices has appointed one of their franchisees to the role of Wellbeing Ambassador,implemented a weekly Wellbeing Wednesday thread in their private franchisee forum, and also runs regular wellbeing huddles.
“I’ve lived through my own catastrophic mental breakdown that came like a bolt out of the blue at the start of the pandemic,” Jane explains, “and the impact on both me and those around me was devastating.
“So when I eventually returned to work I had just one mission: to raise awareness for those I loved, and that included my franchise family.
“And as everyone knows, you need to put your own oxygen mask on before you can help someone else.”
Little Voices started rolling out accredited mental health awareness training in May 2022, and 100% of their franchiseesare now MHFA-trained.
“This means that not only is every franchisee more aware of how they’re doing with their own mental health,” Jane concludes, “but they’re also more aware of how their family, friends, and colleagues are doing.
“Our tutors are in safe hands, and our pupils are, too.”
You can find more information about Little Voices on their website
