Mental Health Motorbike has partnered with Phoenix Motorcycle Training to provide staff with mental health first aid training.
In total, 24 members of staff from Phoenix Motorcycle Training are being trained as Mental Health First Aiders by Mental Health Motorbike (MHM), and they are positioned around all 22 of Phoenix’s UK motorcycle training facilities, where training is offered from CBT-level to post-licence.
“The aim,” a press release from Phoenix Motorcycle Training reads, “is to ensure the wellbeing of students and staff, create a supportive environment and provide dedicated spaces where people can go to talk in confidence with someone who understands their needs.”
Phoenix also describes the motorcycle community a “high-risk group” when it comes to mental health and suicide, because the people who are a part of it are often “receiving very little or no mental health support.”
The reality of the motorcycle community being a male-dominated one is not necessarily a pleasant one, but it does mean that statistics such as 75% of UK suicide victims being male are particularly relevant to the biking community.
Mark Jaffe, CEO Phoenix Motorcycle Training Ltd, said: “As the UKs largest motorcycle training school, we can see the massive benefit to new and current riders of having access to Mental Health First Aiders in all of our locations. As instructors and bikers, we know that riding motorcycles helps promote good mental health, and through this additional training enabling us to do even more, and the brilliant work of Mental Health Motorbike, we realise we can make a difference to riders old and new.”
Paul Oxborough, Founding Member & Chair of Trustees, Mental Health Motorbike, said: “Phoenix Motorcycle Training is not only respected within the industry, they really get what it means to go the extra mile when training their new riders. They have invested in putting a trained Mental Health First Aider in every one of their centres in case any of their trainees are struggling. These partnerships with the industry really send out a strong signal that it is OK to talk about your mental health and we truly respect and value this strong connection – Phoenix, we thank you for helping break the stigma around mental health.”
To find out more about motorcycle training with Phoenix Motorcycle Training, visit their website; and visit the Mental Health Motorbike website to find out more about their work surrounding mental health in the motorcycle community.
