Lifelines Scotland

Training

We have a vision to make training in wellbeing and resilience, peer and post trauma support mainstream within the emergency service community and for others in high-risk roles.

We want to get upstream, and our focus is on prevention and early intervention, giving people the knowledge and skills to look after themselves and their colleagues.
A diagram of a waterfall illustrating the journey upstream
The journey upstream. As well as helping people when they’re in the river, or over the waterfall, we want to teach people to swim, build rafts & put up fences at the risky parts of the riverbank.

Our courses are based on research and best clinical practice. They’re tailored to meet the needs of the emergency service community in Scotland, so that from recruitment to retirement, promotion to specialist role, you have the information and skills you need to stay well.

There are courses you can access right now, including the one at the heart of our vision, the our online Staying Well Road Trip - with bespoke versions for ambulance, fire, police and prison service staff, and for volunteer emergency responders.

You can also listen to Paul’s presentation on the Lifelines 10 Essentials and use our Learning Toolkit to find information about other mental health related courses available through national health services.  

Find out more about the courses we deliver below. Read our evaluation report and watch the films from participants to hear how they’ve been received.

Screenshot of Rickyplay button
Ricky talks about how he's used the Road Trip to start discussions with his fire crews in the Highlands.
Training Advisor Paul's Introduction to Lifelines and the 10 Essentials

The "Staying Well Road Trip" is an interactive, self-directed online module that can also be run in a group.

It covers the factors that protect or threaten wellbeing, how to recognise the warning signs we’ve been injured and what we can do to look after our physical and mental health.

Anyone can take the course online any time via the Staying Well Road Trip page. It will take around 30-40 minutes to run through this yourself (longer if doing in a group setting).
A screen from the road trip showing mountains

Our Learning Toolkit

Our Learning Toolkit provides information about other mental health related courses available through national health services in Scotland.

You can find out more from our Learning Toolkit document or watch the animated video.
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An animation explains the Lifelines Toolkit

What course participants have said

Below are some videos by some of our course participants...
Screenshot of Ryan
Dylan and Roland discuss how our courses helped them reflect on challenging incidents.
Screenshot of Claire
Clare from the RNLI talks about the benefits of the training
Iain from SFRS recommends the Staying Well and Supporting Colleagues courses
Sarah from the Police Authority explains the benefit she found from the courses

Facilitator-led courses

See below for details of the training courses that can be delivered by the Lifelines Training Advisors. We have also trained some staff from the services as Lifelines Facilitators, and they are running Lifelines courses within their organisation. If you require further information about any Lifelines training, please contact one of our Advisors.
Lifelines Scotland – An introduction to the project
Duration: 1 hour
Audience: Aimed at all staff/volunteers/families
Delivery method: Online or face to face
Delegate numbers: Online – 16 / Face to face - 30
Pre-requisite: None
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Session Overview 
In this session we describe the Lifelines Scotland project and what the project provides for people working or volunteering in the emergency service community in Scotland and their families.
Staying Well – Understanding Resilience and Self-Care
Duration: 3 hours (with short break)
Audience: Aimed at all staff/volunteers/families
Delivery method: Online or face to face
Delegate numbers: Online – 16 / Face to face - 24
Pre-requisite: We encourage all delegates to complete the Staying Well Road Trip before attending this course.
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Session Overview 
This foundation session is an opportunity to meet with others and to learn more about what keeps us well. We discuss the things that threaten our wellbeing in our roles and what protects us, and how to stock our Psychological 1st Aid kits. We learn about the impact of trauma and stress so we can recognise when we might need some help and where we can find this. You can choose to do this session on its own OR you could combine it with the Supporting Your Colleagues/Team session - see full course list for details of this COMBINED option.

Booking courses
We have the following facilitated course dates available (via MS Teams) and led by one of our training advisors. Please check the links below for each date to book a place (takes you to eventbrite). These courses are available to all within our community in Scotland. If you have any questions then please contact one of our Advisors.

Wednesday 13th November 2024: 1830-2130hrs
Monday 27th January 2025: 1830-2130hrs
Wednesday 19th February 2025: 1830-2130hrs
Supporting your Colleagues/Team
Duration: 6.5 hours (includes 30 minute break for lunch)
Audience: Aimed at all staff/volunteers
Delivery method: Online or face to face
Delegate numbers: Online – 16 / Face to face - 24
Pre-requisite: Completion of Staying Well – Understanding Resilience and Self-Care
‍
Session Overview 
We know that relationships based on camaraderie, trust and respect act as a buffer against the challenges of working/volunteering for an emergency service. Some of you will also be in leadership/managerial roles.  Strong teams, good leadership and peer support keep people well.  This workshop looks at what we can do to strengthen these supportive relationships and build strong teams. You will learn how to have helpful conversations with colleagues, how to recognise signs that someone may be struggling and what to do when you are worried about someone.   You can choose to do this session on its own OR you could combine it with the Staying Well - Understanding Resilience and Self-Care session - see full course list for details of this COMBINED option.
Staying Well - Understanding Resilience and Self-Care / Supporting your Colleagues/Team (COMBINED)
Duration: 8 hours (includes 30 minute break for lunch)
Audience: Aimed at all staff/volunteers
Delivery method: Online via MS Teams or face to face
Delegate numbers: Online – 16 / Face to face - 24
‍Pre-requisite: Please complete the Staying Well Road Trip online module before attending.
‍
Session Overview 
This intensive full day course is an opportunity to learn more about what keeps us well and how to strengthen supportive relationships.  This course combines the Staying Well - Understanding Resilience and Self-Care session and the Supporting Your Colleagues/Team session and is suitable for all those wishing to do both and then perhaps progress to the Post Trauma Support course.

During the Staying Well: Understanding Resilience and Self-care part of the day, we discuss the things that threaten our wellbeing in our roles and what protects us, and how to stock our Psychological 1st Aid kits. We learn about the impact of trauma and stress so we can recognise when we might need some help and where we can find this.

The Supporting Your Colleagues/Team part of the day looks at what we can do to strengthen supportive relationships and build strong teams.  We know that relationships based on camaraderie, trust and respect act as a buffer against the challenges of working/volunteering for an emergency service. Some of you will also be in leadership/managerial roles.  Strong teams, good leadership and peer support keep people well. You will learn how to have helpful conversations with colleagues, how to recognise signs that someone may be struggling and what to do when you are worried about someone.
Post trauma support: Providing Psychological First Aid 
Duration: 6.5 hours (includes 30 minute break for lunch)
Audience: Aimed at all staff/volunteers
Delivery method: Online or face to face
Delegate numbers: Online – 16 / Face to face - 24
Pre-requisite: Completion of Staying Well – Understanding Resilience and Self-Care and Supporting your Colleagues / Team 
‍
Session Overview 
Emergency service staff and volunteers are frequently exposed to potentially traumatic experiences in the course of their work. This workshop will help you understand trauma and traumatic stress so you can recognise when you and your colleagues may be at risk of psychological injury. It will equip you to give Psychological First Aid, the international best practice model for supporting people following trauma exposure.
Train the Facilitator
For more information on the Facilitator model please read the Knowledge Exchange and Skills framework and/or contact one of our Advisors.
Refresher Sessions
    Staying well: understanding resilience and self-care
    Duration: 1 hour
    Audience: Aimed at all staff/volunteers who have completed the Staying well: understanding resilience and self-care course or the combined course with Supporting your Colleagues/Team.
    Delivery method: Online via MS Teams
    Delegate numbers: Online – 16 max
    ‍
    Session Overview 
    This refresher will give you the opportunity to join in with others and to revisit some of the key themes from Staying well: understanding resilience and self-care.  The session will be led by one of our team and will be interactive.  (If you have done the Combined course, you may wish to also attend the refresher on Supporting Your Colleagues/Team).
    Supporting Your Colleagues/Team
    Duration: 2 hours
    Audience: Aimed at all staff/volunteers who have completed the Supporting your Colleagues/Team course or the combined course with Staying Well.
    Delivery method: Online via MS Teams
    Delegate numbers: Online – 16 max
    ‍
    Session Overview 
    This refresher will give you the opportunity to join in with others and to revisit some of the key themes around Supporting Your Colleagues/Team.  The session will be led by one of our team and will be interactive.  (If you have done the Combined course, you may wish to also attend the refresher on Staying well: understanding resilience and self-care).

    Our Advisors

    Eliz MacIntosh
    Training Advisor
    Email Eliz
    Leni Rademacher
    Training Advisor
    Email Leni
    Stephen Penny MBE
    Training Advisor
    Email Steve
    The Lifelines Scotland project supports the health and wellbeing of emergency responders and others working in high-risk roles.
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