Mental and Emotional First Aid (MEFA)

Our innovative mental health promotion and distress prevention intervention, termed Mental and Emotional First Aid (MEFA), rests on the principles of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Emotional First Aid (EFA).

It draws from early intervention and capacity-building by equipping students with practical tools to respond effectively to emotional distress in peers. Mental and Emotional First Aid (MEFA) adopts a trauma-informed approach and focuses on creating interpersonal spaces that allows individuals to return to emotional equilibrium. It aims to do this through psycho-education regarding compassionate care, and research backed support skills. 

It combines MHFA’s objective of connecting the distressed individuals with appropriate resources, through early identification of signs and symptoms of mental health conditions, along with EFA’s focus on providing compassionate, non-judgemental emotional support.  This is achieved through appropriate application of basic helping skills, and encouraging healthy coping strategies. It is a structured approach to providing psychological support and focuses on lending a sense of safety, reducing the emotional burden on the individual, and guiding them to appropriate professional help.

By normalizing conversations around mental health and help-seeking behaviour, MEFA seeks to reduce stigma, facilitate open conversations and foster resilience across individual, collective and systemic levels. Ultimately, it functions as a bridge between immediate emotional support and long-term mental health care.