These criteria are the results of the work of the Seafaring Mental Health and Wellbeing Group, created from across the maritime sector
to address the issue. Amongst other stakeholders, the Group includes private and commercial organisations, charities, and insurance companies.The objective of the Group was to work collaboratively to ‘try and improve standards in the provision of mental health and wellbeing training for Seafarers’.

The training is open to all but especially relevant to:
• Seagoing and shore-based Merchant Navy and fishing industry personnel;
• Those with an interest in seafarers, eg, maritime education and training sector staff, port
chaplains, shipowners, maritime charity workers and seafarers’ families.

Abbreviations 
Section 1 
1. Introduction
2. Why these criteria have been developed
3. Target audience
4. Aims of the training
5. Course Design
6. Training Day
7. Assessment Requirements
8. Qualifications of facilitators
9. Facilities and equipment
10. Health and Safety, ‘Safe Space’, Safeguarding, Confidentiality and Boundaries
Section 2 
Seafarers’ Mental Health Awareness and Wellbeing Training Course
11. Aim
12. The curriculum and maritime culture
13. Entry requirements
14. Intended Outcomes
15. Modes of Delivery
16. Facilitator to participant ratio
17. Training duration
18. Extracts from the STCW and MLC Codes
Appendix A 
19. Facilitator Qualifications
Appendix B 
20. Supervision
Appendix C 
21. The course and culture

1. Introduction

1.1. This document provides suggested criteria for the development of a course to deliver training for
Seafarers’ Mental Health and Wellbeing for Merchant Navy (and all its sub-sectors) and Fishing
Industry sea-going and shore-based personnel.

1.2. At the time of writing (January 2020) there is no statutory requirement for this provision. However, the
Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) (2006) includes some guidance (see Paragraph 18.2) and the need
for statutory provision is being kept under review by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and
the Merchant Navy Training Board (MNTB). You are urged to check with those bodies concerning the
latest position.

1.3. The criteria have been developed by the Maritime Charities Group (MCG) with assistance from the
MCA, the MNTB, subject matter experts (SMEs) and trainers.

The MNTB is a voluntary body and a part of the UK Chamber of Shipping, the trade association for the UK shipping industry. We work closely with shipping and ship management companies, nautical educational establishments and organisations, seafarer trade unions, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and industry organisations with an interest in seafarer education and training.

The MNTB provides the link to government departments and bodies involved with the shipping industry as well as those involved with the UK skills agenda and education and training developments. This includes the Department for Transport (DfT), the Department for Business, Innovation, and Skills (BIS), and UK education regulatory authorities and bodies. The MNTB works closely with the Maritime Skills Alliance to achieve joint aims with partner organisations in the maritime sector.

We carry out a wide range of careers promotion activities through our ‘Careers at Sea’ brand. This is currently under expansion to encompass the full range of careers activity at sea and within the shipping industry ashore and the wider maritime sector.