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.

Read our Evaluation report to hear how our training is being received.

Our advisors are working with training colleagues in the services and with NHS Education for Scotland and Public Health Scotland to provide an integrated national training plan.
Screenshot of Rickyplay button
Ricky talks about how he's used the Road Trip to start discussions with his fire crews in the Highlands.
Screenshot of Claire
Clare from the RNLI talks about the benefits of the training
Screenshot of Ryan
Dylan and Roland discuss how our courses helped them reflect on challenging incidents.

From recruitment to retirement, promotion to specialist role, our training has the information and skills you need to look after yourself, your colleagues and the public.

Our courses are designed to meet the needs of the emergency service community in Scotland. You can take the Staying Well road trip any time online and our facilitator-led courses are listed below.

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

Training Advisor Paul explains what is on offer from the Lifelines Training courses.
Iain from SFRS recommends the Staying Well and Supporting Colleagues courses
Sarah from the Police Authority explains the benefit she found from the courses

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

Facilitator-led courses

Our facilitator-led courses are designed to meet the needs of the emergency service community in Scotland. Details for each course, what is included, any pre-requisites, and course availability and bookings can be found behind the course names listed.
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
‍
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.
‍
To arrange an introduction session please contact one of our Advisors.
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.
‍
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.
‍
Course Bookings‍
  • If you are Police, Fire, Ambulance staff or a volunteer emergency responder in Scotland please check course availability (eventbrite) where you can also register.
  • Joining instructions and a link to join the course will be sent to you ahead of the event.
  • If you require further information then please contact one of our Advisors.
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.
‍
Course Bookings‍
  • If you are Police, Fire, Ambulance staff or a volunteer emergency responder in Scotland please check course availability (eventbrite) where you can also register.
  • Joining instructions and a link to join the course will be sent to you ahead of the event.
  • If you require further information then please contact our Advisors.
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.
‍
Course Bookings‍
  • If you are Police, Fire, Ambulance staff or a volunteer emergency responder in Scotland please check course availability (eventbrite) where you can also register.
  • Joining instructions and a link to join the course will be sent to you ahead of the event.
  • If you require further information then please contact our Advisors.
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.
‍
Course Bookings‍
  • If you are Police, Fire, Ambulance staff or a volunteer emergency responder in Scotland please check course availability (eventbrite) where you can also register.
  • Joining instructions and a link to join the course will be sent to you ahead of the event.
  • If you require further information then please contact 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).

    Course Bookings
    • If you are Police, Fire, Ambulance staff or a volunteer emergency responder in Scotland please check course availability (Eventbrite) where you can also register.
    • Joining instructions and a link to join the course will be sent to you ahead of the event.
    • If you require further information then please contact one of our Advisors.
    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).

    Course Bookings
    • If you are Police, Fire, Ambulance staff or a volunteer emergency responder in Scotland please check course availability (Eventbrite) where you can also register.
    • Joining instructions and a link to join the course will be sent to you ahead of the event.
    • If you require further information then please contact one of our Advisors.
    Post trauma support: Providing Psychological First Aid
    No refresher session currently in place but we will update here when available.

    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.
    An animation explains the Lifelines Toolkit

    Our advisors

    James Evett
    Training Advisor Police/Ambulance
    up to end May'24
    Eliz MacIntosh
    Training Advisor Ambulance
    Email Eliz
    Stephen Penny MBE
    Training Advisor Volunteers
    Email Steve
    Leni Rademacher
    Training Advisor Police
    Email Leni
    Paul Weatherburn
    Training Advisor Fire
    Email Paul
    The Lifelines Scotland project supports the health and wellbeing of emergency responders and others working in high-risk roles.
    lifelines.scot
    info@lifelines.scot
    @LifelinesScot
    Feedback survey
    Why I’m ok most of the time
    When I might need some help
    I'm worried about someone else
    Info for friends, family and supporters
    Find help now
    Site created by Sangster Design
    ©  Lifelines Scotland 2023

    Search