Is it possible to suspend or defer my program membership as a licensed instructor?
Yes. Under approved circumstances, you can defer your program membership for a period of up to 12 months, or until the end of that year's license period. To be eligible to defer your membership, you must:
- have held at least one MHFA license for at least 12 months
- have delivered at least 1 course.
- have a current and active program membership at the time of your deferment (acknowledgement of the Instructor License Agreement, payment of your License Fee and a current WWCC/WWVP or approved alternative safety check)
- submit your deferment request via email to instructors@mhfa.com.au.
Deferment requests are via application to MHFA via emailing instrucors@mhfa.co.au All deferment requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and subject to approval.
Under what circumstances can I defer my program membership?
Examples of reasons for deferring program membership include:
- family commitments
- travel and health reasons
- long service leave
- parental leave
- a circumstance where you anticipate that you will be unable to deliver MHFA courses for a period of 12 months.
The following are examples of deferral requests that would not be approved:
- getting towards the end of the year, and you have not met your course delivery requirements
- applying for a retroactive deferral, ie starting at a time in the past.
- placing one license on deferral while continuing with another
What happens during a deferral period?
A deferment applies to all MHFA licenses and credentials held.
While deferred, instructors are exempt from course delivery requirements. Moreover, they are not permitted to deliver courses while on deferral.
During a deferment, access to the Instructor Portal and shop will be restricted. It will not be possible to create or manage courses, manage participants or access resources. It also will not be possible to order Instructor products and materials from the MHFA Shop.
How do I return to delivering courses after a deferral?
To be reinstated as a Licensed MHFA Instructor after your deferment, you must meet any requirements as specified by MHFAI, which will include an appointment booking with an Instructor Specialist to support your return to the program.
Begin by emailing MHFAI on instructors@mhfa.com.au and requesting to return to delivery. You can make an appointment with an Instructor Specialist using the Booking Tool under “Contact Us” on your portal dashboard. The Specialist will assess your specific circumstances to determine your return pathway. You will likely be required to refresh your knowledge by reading certain Help Centre Articles and watching training videos.
You are also able to return early from deferment, but then you must meet you must meet any requirements as specified by MHFAI.