A St Albans-based mental health charity is offering free online workshops throughout May.

The OLLIE Foundation has extended its mental health training – which was launched last month – to support individuals and their families during the coronavirus outbreak and lockdown period.

The extension comes after the scheme proved immediately popular.

The programme includes sessions specifically for teenagers and for adults. The free sessions cover:

· Keeping Safe and Carrying On– which focuses on managing anxiety and overwhelming feelings

· Goal setting

· Supporting children/young people to manage anixety and stay safe

· PoetsIN mental health and wellbeing workshops

· Mental health aware – a half-day mental health first aid workshop

· Talking about suicide: 10 tools

· Despair and loneliness despite having a family that loves you – Instagram Live session with MENTalk.

Most of the sessions are free but OLLIE would be grateful for a small donation of £10 if people are able to help cover the cost of their place.

The full schedule, which includes more detail about each workshop, is available on the OLLIE website.

Debi Roberts, CEO of OLLIE, said: “Along with many other training providers, we’ve unfortunately had to cancel our face-to-face training due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“However, creating suicide safer communities is as important now as at any other time. We all know that it’s absolutely crucial that we look after our physical and our mental health.

“Our current situation creates a unique set of challenges in that regard. This is why OLLIE has worked hard over the last couple of weeks to create a comprehensive schedule of online training for parents and teens.

“The schedule includes fun, upbeat, wellbeing programmes, through to pandemic anxiety specific sessions and suicide prevention training. Our online training will be available throughout April and May and we will review extending this as necessary.”

To find out more about the training available, visit the OLLIE website and download the workshop schedule theolliefoundation.org/training/dates.