National training provider First Response Training has delivered another “enjoyable, engaging and accessible” first aid training session for The Monday Night Club.
The leading provider first delivered a free first aid training session for members of the Worcester-based social club run by and for adults with a learning disability and autistic people in May last year. They returned this week to deliver the annual Emergency First Aid at Work training for club members.
The Monday Night Club organises social get-togethers, discos, karaoke evenings, parties, talent shows, sports, games and many other fun activities and days out for adults with a learning disability and autistic people.
Just like last year, the essential training session was delivered by one of FRT’s experienced full-time trainers, Jon Purton.
Helen Gill, CEO of the The Monday Night Club, said Jon was “absolutely brilliant,” and added:
“He made the course enjoyable, engaging and accessible for everyone, explaining things clearly and making sure everybody felt included and able to take part.”
Helen’s daughter Laura Gill, who has a learning disability and is autistic, founded The Monday Night Club in 2011 after realising that socialising and keeping connected to friends was essential to her health and wellbeing. She wanted to create a positive space where she and other adults with learning disabilities and autistic people could meet friends and have fun, supporting them to maintain positive mental health and wellbeing and lead more independent lives. Laura has since been awarded several prestigious awards for founding The Monday Night Club.
Helen said that FRT’s delivery of the training session “made such a difference to our small charity and to the confidence of our volunteers.”
Learners were a mixed group of staff and volunteers, some of whom have learning disabilities or are neurodiverse.
Helen added:
“The training gave us all practical knowledge and confidence that could genuinely make a difference in an emergency. Our volunteers came away feeling much more prepared and reassured that they could really help someone if needed.”
Becky Cropper, Neurodiversity Training Lead at First Response Training, has worked closely with both Helen and Laura to support Laura in her role as one of FRT’s Experts with Lived Experience Co-Trainers.
She has been instrumental in arranging the first aid training for The Monday Night Club and says:
“I am very pleased and proud that we have once again been able to offer this course free of charge to a local organisation supporting people with learning disabilities and autistic people. The training was once again a huge success and its wonderful to know that we’ve helped empower their members to feel fully confident in providing first aid.”
First established in 1997, First Response Training have now been delivering high quality training courses to diverse audiences for over 28 years.
Working with businesses and organisations across the UK, they provide a wide range of training in first aid, health and safety, fire safety, food safety, health and social care, mental health and other special focus topics.
First Response Training were one of the first training providers to be approved to deliver the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training Programme, helping to roll out this essential programme since early 2023. They now employ over 100 Expert with Lived Experience Co-Trainers across the UK.
They are a Disability Confident Committed organisation and have been awarded INclusive Worcestershire Leader status. They regularly work with charity and community groups to explore the support they can provide with both learning and employment opportunities.
For more information, please call freephone 0800 310 2300 or e-mail info@firstresponsetraining.com.