New ASIST Trainers for Wales and England
Positive Choices has trained 15 new ASIST trainers and one more consulting trainer to add to the network of those already delivering the ASIST workshops throughout Wales and England.
The trainers hail from a huge variety of backgrounds, including the prison service, police, nursing, local Mind associations, helplines for young people and the travelling community. The new ASIST trainers’ networks and experience will help the project gain greater access to a variety of at-risk groups.
The Training for Trainers (T4T) was held in October at the training cottage at Parc Prison, Bridgend. The T4T trainers travelled from Canada, Ireland and England and worked relentlessly to support and coach the new trainers through the process. By the end of the week the new trainers all understood that ‘it takes a lot of hard work to make it look that easy’!
The five day workshop kicked off with an ASIST course for all new trainers. This was designed to refresh new trainers’ skills in suicide first aid and to reacquaint them with the feeling of being an ASIST participant.
Over the following three days, T4T attendees began the transition from participant to trainer. This involved self-study in small groups, practicing presentations and holding workshops back with the larger group. Throughout this process new trainers were supported and coached by the T4T trainers and each other. This experience created a strong bond among the whole group. Although dispersed across Wales and further afield, regular trainers meetings and support from the Positive Choices project will help new trainers maintain those links.
The newly trained ASIST trainers will complete 3 workshops with a consultant trainer before holding a workshop themselves with a co-trainer. This will ensure that support and quality are assured and that ASIST continues to be delivered to the high standard that has become expected throughout Wales.
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