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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To make a complaint about this trainer last night

24 replies

autumnbreeze1 · 20/10/2021 08:03

This could be outing but I'm annoyed at this man who gave us training last night.
I'm training up atm as I've got a volunteer role in being an Appropriate Adult for young and vulnerable people. I've had training over the past few weeks and its been good and informative. People have used powerpoints, break out groups and its been interactive.

The guy giving training last night isn't employed by the charity and is separated from them but works in the same setting as us. He was "giving training" on mental health symptoms and things we might come across and to speak with him if we have concerns so he can do an assessment on the person. To make clear he isn't a professional but has done this job a long time. He then passes assessments onto the correct professionals after he's done a very quick assessment on someone.
Anyway that's the basics of his role.
So he starts the training saying he doesn't use slides or powerpoints, fair enough that's obviously his style. So he begins talking about depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and signs and symptoms to look out for.

One comment he makes about schizophrenia is that they can wear inappropriate clothing. This was followed up with " once i saw (while assessing) a 70 year old women in a bright green bikini, my libido suffered for 2 weeks after that" then he laughed but was met with an awkward silence from all of us. Not really professional mocking someone with a MH condition.

His comments on depression were "you just need to do the opposite of what depression is telling you. Depression tells you to stay in, you go out then. Depression tells you not to talk to people, you call people up" Yea ok mate it's that simple with chronic depression to do that!! Also kepting highlighting he didn't think antidepressants were the "be all and end all".

When a women asked a question he made her feel silly and was quite patronising, yet when i guy asked a question and said he had been in a professional position he didn't mock or patronise him.

He kept saying "does that make sense, of course it does because if it was difficult i wouldn't be doing it" Then not letting anyone answer if what he said actually made sense.

I just think someone like him has been put in a position to help these vulnerable people!! How on earth did he get this job when he is so unprofessional. It's people like him that make people with MH issues feel stupid.

AIBU to make a complaint about him. I won't be directly working with his as he will be at a different location to me. Also him not working directly for the charity i'm with, I wouldn't know who to say something to? Maybe mention to the charity so he doesn't do the training again?

OP posts:
1099 · 20/10/2021 08:08

I don't know about a complaint but you could feedback your views to the charity.

Shelby2010 · 20/10/2021 08:11

How about feeding back that you think having a professional who works in MH would be more useful ie nurse or doctor because his training seemed a bit casual.

SheWoreYellow · 20/10/2021 08:12

The depression bit is appalling. Please do feed it all back.

ThinWomansBrain · 20/10/2021 08:13

Yes, I'd make a complaint - but keep it solely to the mysogynistic stuff - the "libido" comment, disrespecting female questioner but not the male one.
Comments about anti-depressants, doing the opposite of what depression tells you, etc - he is entitled to his opinion, surely the point of training is to get you thinking critically about subjects, not spoonfeed you.

ElftonWednesday · 20/10/2021 08:16

No wonder he doesn't use slides! Imagine the slide deck to go with that pile of tripe.

YANBU.

Seasonschange · 20/10/2021 08:16

The bikini comment is out of line. the patronising to women but not men is hard to prove and the “kept saying does that make sense?” Is a bit petty to complain about.

Also “His comments on depression were "you just need to do the opposite of what depression is telling you. Depression tells you to stay in, you go out then. Depression tells you not to talk to people, you call people up" Yea ok mate it's that simple with chronic depression to do that!! Also kepting highlighting he didn't think antidepressants were the "be all and end all". “

I think this is fine? It’s pretty consistent with mainstream advice.

autumnbreeze1 · 20/10/2021 08:21

@Seasonschange

The bikini comment is out of line. the patronising to women but not men is hard to prove and the “kept saying does that make sense?” Is a bit petty to complain about.

Also “His comments on depression were "you just need to do the opposite of what depression is telling you. Depression tells you to stay in, you go out then. Depression tells you not to talk to people, you call people up" Yea ok mate it's that simple with chronic depression to do that!! Also kepting highlighting he didn't think antidepressants were the "be all and end all". “

I think this is fine? It’s pretty consistent with mainstream advice.

Yes it may be his opinion on depression but what an ignorant stance and opinion. Depression does not work that way. So i think if you're giving training is good to stick to facts eg. signs and symptoms to look out for. Us and him are not there to dish out advice on what to do about depression. He was just suppose to tell us signs and symptoms to look out for.

Also anti depressants are there for a reason. He could of influenced someone to discourage using them in the future. When talking about mental health it's a fragile topic and he shouldn't have been so insensitive about it.

OP posts:
onelittlefrog · 20/10/2021 08:23

Feed it back to the charity that you work for that you thought some of his comments were unprofessional/ inappropriate. Include the libido comment.

It sounds like he was very informal and perhaps most of his knowledge/understanding is based on experience rather than any formal qualification. He did say this at the start as a disclaimer however I would question whether he is an appropriate person to be delivering training in that case.

I think you should also feed back to the charity that you were doubtful of his understanding and request that they consider hiring somebody with a qualification to train their staff.

This obviously feeds down to service users as staff learning is extremely important in informing how you will respond and act towards service users.

Reiterate that you want to provide the best service possible to vulnerable people you work with and that you need high quality training in order to do this.

onelittlefrog · 20/10/2021 08:25

(Having said all of that, I imagine the reason they aren't buying in a qualified trainer is to do with a limited budget. But you can still give the feedback that you would like it if they prioritse this.)

Noeuf · 20/10/2021 08:27

I think the usual practice for hard to treat conditions is meds plus therapy so I can’t get excited by the comment on anti depressants. Also, the do the opposite is clumsy but I get his meaning.
Shame you didn’t get a formal programme rather than someone’s experience but maybe it’s not a huge part of the job?
I’d definitely complain re the bikini comment that’s awful.

Waterfallgirl · 20/10/2021 08:28

That is not really training is it? It was a person talking about their experience and views. The comments he made about psychosis were pretty horrible. I’d be making my views known. He Sounds awful.

YorkiePud25 · 20/10/2021 08:32

I'd make a complaint. And flag it until uts dealt with. He definitely is not entitled to his opinion when it comes to mental health, that's where stigma and misinformation becomes toxic. They really need to have a mental health professional (which he definitely doesn't sound like, and if he is he needs showing the door) doing the training

PomBearWithoutHerOFRS · 20/10/2021 08:38

He sounds like a safeguarding breach waiting to happen!
If he isn't a professional, then how is he in this position of power where his "quick assessment" of a vulnerable person can make or break them getting referred /access to appropriate help?
I would be asking exactly how he fits into official process regarding the legislation around suitable adult provision, and what his qualifications, responsibilities, and legal liabilities are.

lljkk · 20/10/2021 08:40

Is the trainer an ex-service user himself?

RedHelenB · 20/10/2021 08:41

He has a point, going out does help with depression, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone etc. However I would raise that some of his comments were unprofessional given that he's delivering training.

Yogawankonobi · 20/10/2021 08:51

He doesn’t have a point about depression whatsoever. It’s a naive comment that could do many people a lot of damage. He’s teaching this.

ilovesooty · 20/10/2021 08:56

Did you have an evaluation form to fill in? Or has one been emailed to you? Surely that's standard practice. If so you can use that to feed back.

autumnbreeze1 · 20/10/2021 09:09

@PomBearWithoutHerOFRS

He sounds like a safeguarding breach waiting to happen! If he isn't a professional, then how is he in this position of power where his "quick assessment" of a vulnerable person can make or break them getting referred /access to appropriate help? I would be asking exactly how he fits into official process regarding the legislation around suitable adult provision, and what his qualifications, responsibilities, and legal liabilities are.
I know! This is exactly what i thought! Funny that the week before we had safeguarding training by someone else. Which was really useful, informative and professional! No personal opinions were chucked in!

Well unfortunately I'm coming to realise that a lot of people without qualifications can make a quick assessments to then chuck to an actual professional and say i think they are displaying these symptoms can you do an actual assessment. Because the only person who can actually diagnose someone is a psychiatrist.

OP posts:
autumnbreeze1 · 20/10/2021 09:10

@RedHelenB

He has a point, going out does help with depression, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone etc. However I would raise that some of his comments were unprofessional given that he's delivering training.
I see what you mean but someone who has actual chronic depression cannot just think oh wait my depression is telling me not to shower so i must shower. It does not work that way. They need professional help and maybe medication.
OP posts:
autumnbreeze1 · 20/10/2021 09:11

@lljkk

Is the trainer an ex-service user himself?
Not sure, he said he had been doing this job 20 years. So he obviously thinks he is qualified by experience.
OP posts:
Poppins2016 · 20/10/2021 09:12

Comments about anti-depressants, doing the opposite of what depression tells you, etc - he is entitled to his opinion, surely the point of training is to get you thinking critically about subjects, not spoonfeed you.

Many people, rightly or wrongly, take training on face value (I've worked with people who seem unable to think critically once something is labelled 'training'). I can imagine people like that saying "well I did some training and I was told that anti depressants aren't very useful"... which could be very damaging depending on the context.

autumnbreeze1 · 20/10/2021 09:13

@ilovesooty

Did you have an evaluation form to fill in? Or has one been emailed to you? Surely that's standard practice. If so you can use that to feed back.
No we didn't get one. I know who i can email to mention something though.
OP posts:
JessicaFletcherxx · 20/10/2021 09:58

I put in a written complaint after a weekend training for a voluntary role I was involved in. The advise the guy gave was wrong and dangerous in some areas, I'm a sensible and intelligent person so could see it but some of the younger people attending could have taken him at his word and that could have had consequences.

I felt I had no choice but to complain about him because he couldn't continue the way he was. From what I was told he was not allowed to train for a while and then had to retrain. Not sure if it made any difference but my conscious was clear.

autumnbreeze1 · 20/10/2021 12:24

@JessicaFletcherxx

I put in a written complaint after a weekend training for a voluntary role I was involved in. The advise the guy gave was wrong and dangerous in some areas, I'm a sensible and intelligent person so could see it but some of the younger people attending could have taken him at his word and that could have had consequences.

I felt I had no choice but to complain about him because he couldn't continue the way he was. From what I was told he was not allowed to train for a while and then had to retrain. Not sure if it made any difference but my conscious was clear.

Yes i feel the same too about this guy. I'm not saying i know anymore than him because he does have alot of life experience. But the way he delivered it was not good and the inappropriate comments were awful.

I've suffered mental health myself and also I am now studying a degree in psychology so find out the why's behind these symptoms people show. She just showed lack of understanding and why a person might be displaying the way they are. He should not be mocking them.

Also someone on that training could have anyone of those MH conditions themselves so for him to say stuff like that is not good.

OP posts:
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