Droughts, floods, fires and the pandemic have contributed to growing incidence of mental illness. AJ Simon, a retired paramedic and now an instructor in how to provide mental help support, said four out of five Australians suffer at some point in their life with a mental health issue. Like many first-responders, Mr Simon struggled with his mental health for a period. He heard about Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) through the ACT Emergency Services Agency. "The ESA had become involved in the mental health field, recognising it is particularly an issue among first-responders - police, firefighters, ambulance, army and healthcare," Mr Simon said. Mr Simon was so impressed with his experience with MHFA that he became an instructor. He was living in Canberra at the time and conducted many courses for the ACT ESA. MHFA is a not-for-profit organisation founded by Betty Kitchener AM and her husband Professor Tony Jorm. The Canberra couple wanted to develop the mental health equivalent of the first aid training that is provided for physical health. Since running its first course in 2000, MHFA has been adopted in more than 25 countries and globally, more than four million instructors have been trained. Mr Simon would like to a run a course in Narooma in August and wants to gauge if there is sufficient interest from residents who want to acquire the skills and knowledge to help friends, family members, students or colleagues with mental health issues. The course consists of four four-hour sessions over two days. The ideal class size is 10 people. Mr Simon charges a "modest" fee, which varies with the number of people attending the course. Mr Simon said the course teaches people how to recognise when people are struggling with mental health, how to approach them, what advice to give and, importantly, what not to say and do. At the end of the course they get a certificate of attendance. If they want to be employed as mental health first aid officers they also receive a certificate of accreditation. For more information and to register your interest contact Mr Simon on a.j.simon@optusnet.com