Free Psychological First Aid Online Course by IFRC: 90-Minute Self-Paced Training
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), in collaboration with the Danish Red Cross, offers a free online Psychological First Aid (PFA) course for people who want to develop introductory skills for supporting individuals experiencing distress during or after difficult situations.
The approximately 90-minute course is delivered online through the IFRC Learning Platform and is self-paced. This means participants can complete the training according to their own schedules without attending a physical classroom.
The course is part of the broader Psychological First Aid for All initiative, which seeks to expand access to psychological first aid knowledge and strengthen the ability of communities and humanitarian workers to provide appropriate psychosocial support.
What Is Psychological First Aid?
Psychological First Aid is an approach used to provide humane, supportive and practical assistance to people who may be experiencing distress following an emergency, crisis or other challenging event.
The approach does not require someone to act as a therapist or provide professional psychological treatment. Instead, it focuses on offering appropriate immediate support, helping people feel safer and calmer, understanding their immediate needs and connecting them with additional assistance when required.
The IFRC course introduces learners to the basic principles of PFA and practical ways of responding appropriately when someone is experiencing emotional distress.
What Does the 90-Minute Course Cover?
The free online training provides an introduction to several important areas of Psychological First Aid. Learners are guided through practical approaches that can be useful when supporting people affected by crises or difficult circumstances.
Topics covered include:
- How to comfort someone experiencing distress
- Ways to help people feel safe and calm
- Common reactions people may experience following crises
- How to support individuals in connecting with additional services
- The importance of self-care when supporting others
- Appropriate ways to provide practical and emotional support
The course also helps learners understand that not every situation can or should be handled independently. Where someone requires additional assistance, connecting them with appropriate professional or community-based support is an important part of the PFA approach.
Who Can Take the IFRC Psychological First Aid Course?
The training is designed to make introductory Psychological First Aid knowledge accessible to people around the world. It may be particularly useful for individuals working or volunteering in environments where they may encounter people affected by emergencies, disasters or other challenging situations.
Potential learners include:
- Humanitarian workers
- Community workers
- Volunteers
- Students
- Emergency response personnel
- Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement personnel
- People interested in psychosocial support
- Individuals working in health-related or community settings
- Professionals looking to develop introductory PFA knowledge
The course can also be useful for people who simply want to understand the fundamentals of Psychological First Aid before pursuing more advanced learning opportunities.
Flexible Self-Paced Online Training
One of the main features of the course is its flexible format. Participants can complete the approximately 90-minute training online at their own pace.
This makes the course suitable for people balancing employment, education, volunteering or other responsibilities. Learners do not need to travel to a training venue or participate in a scheduled classroom session.
The online format also supports the wider goal of making Psychological First Aid resources available to more people, including those who may have limited access to face-to-face training.
Psychological First Aid for All Initiative
The course contributes to the wider Psychological First Aid for All initiative, which focuses on expanding access to PFA knowledge, training and resources internationally.
The initiative was jointly submitted by the Danish Red Cross, Netherlands Red Cross, IFRC and IFRC Psychosocial Centre during the 33rd International Conference in December 2019. It was subsequently endorsed by 25 National Societies and one State.
The initiative promotes the integration of Psychological First Aid into humanitarian and community-based responses, helping more people develop knowledge that can support individuals affected by crises.
International Access and Languages
The training is designed for a global audience and was launched in English through the IFRC Learning Platform. Plans were also announced for the course to become available in Spanish, French and Arabic.
Providing the course in multiple languages can help make introductory Psychological First Aid resources more accessible to learners in different regions.
For people interested in humanitarian and international development careers, the course can complement existing knowledge in areas such as community engagement, emergency response and psychosocial support.
Why Learn Psychological First Aid?
Disasters, emergencies, displacement, conflict and other crises can affect people’s emotional wellbeing. Humanitarian workers, volunteers and community members may encounter individuals who are frightened, distressed or struggling to cope.
Psychological First Aid provides a framework for offering appropriate immediate support while recognising when additional assistance may be needed.
Learning these principles can help participants better understand how to respond to people experiencing distress without attempting to provide support beyond their knowledge or role.
The training also emphasises self-care, which is important for people who regularly support others in demanding or crisis-affected environments.
How to Enrol
Interested participants can access the free Psychological First Aid e-learning course through the IFRC Learning Platform.
The course takes approximately 90 minutes and is self-paced. Learners should follow the registration and access instructions provided on the platform to begin the training.
Course: Psychological First Aid e-learning course
Provider: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Format: Online
Duration: Approximately 90 minutes
Cost: Free
Study mode: Self-paced
Target audience: Beginners, humanitarian workers, volunteers, students, community workers and others interested in Psychological First Aid
Conclusion
The free IFRC Psychological First Aid online course provides a short and accessible introduction to supporting people experiencing distress during or after crises. Developed with the Danish Red Cross, the approximately 90-minute training introduces practical approaches for helping people feel safe and calm, understanding common crisis reactions, connecting individuals with further support and practising self-care.
Because the course is online and self-paced, it can be completed around existing work, study or volunteering commitments. It may be particularly relevant to humanitarian workers, volunteers, students, emergency responders and community-based workers seeking foundational Psychological First Aid knowledge.
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