Why would a small business bother?
In a small team there's nowhere to hide and nobody to hand it to. You probably don't have an HR department. If one person's struggling, everyone feels it, and if they go on leave or quit, the whole business feels that too. The owner often ends up as the unofficial counsellor, with no training and a business to run.
A small team also has an advantage: people know each other. They notice when someone's gone quiet or isn't themselves. What stops most people isn't noticing. It's not knowing what to say next, so they say nothing. That's the gap this course fills.
What do your people actually learn?
Standard Mental Health First Aid is an accredited course from Mental Health First Aid Australia. People learn to recognise the signs of common mental health problems, start a supportive conversation, respond in a crisis and encourage someone towards professional help. It's first aid, so nobody's diagnosing or treating anyone. People who complete the course and assessment can become Accredited Mental Health First Aiders for three years.
Is it worth the money?
It depends on your size. Here's how I'd think about it:
| Team size | What I'd do |
|---|---|
| Under 10 | Start with the free NSW workshops, or send one or two people to a public course. A private session is hard to justify. |
| 10 to 20 | A private session starts to make sense. You can train most of the team, and everyone hears the same thing. |
| 20 to 250 | Train a group across teams and shifts, so anyone can reach a trained person. For most, 10 to 15 is a strong start. |
The real cost isn't only the fee. It's having people off the tools or away from customers for the training. The time involved depends on the format, so ask upfront and plan your rosters around it. It's also worth asking what you're comparing it with. If it helps one person get support earlier, or helps one good employee stay, it can pay for itself. I can't promise that, and I'd be wary of anyone who gives you a neat return-on-investment figure.
Does the evidence back it up?
Partly, and it's worth being straight about it. A 2018 review of 18 trials and 5,936 participants found the training improved knowledge, recognition of mental health problems and people's confidence to help, with a small increase in the help they actually gave. Those effects were clearest up to six months after training. The evidence on outcomes for the people being helped is less clear. So it's a good way to build skills and confidence, and it isn't a cure-all.
Is it legally required?
No. NSW employers have to manage psychosocial risks at work, like high demands, low support and poor workplace relationships. The approved code of practice has been legally binding since 1 July 2026. Mental Health First Aid isn't required under either, and training on its own doesn't meet the duty. It's a support that sits alongside fixing problems at the source, like workload and unclear roles.
Are there free or cheaper options?
Yes, and if you're a small business in NSW you should know about them. The NSW Government funds free workplace mental health training delivered by the Black Dog Institute, for privately owned NSW businesses with fewer than 200 employees and not-for-profits of any size. The workshops run for 1 to 3 hours depending on the audience, with self-paced options for some. They're a good first step, particularly for owners and managers.
They aren't the same thing as this course, though. Mental Health First Aid is longer, teaches a specific action plan and comes with accreditation. If you've got an EAP, keep it. It's a phone number someone has to choose to call, and it works better when a colleague has helped them get there.
How much does it cost?
Public courses in Sydney tend to run at a few hundred dollars a person. I run private, in-person sessions for workplaces at $4,950 + GST for up to 15 people, then $295 each up to 20, with travel included anywhere in Greater Sydney. I've written up how the costs compare.