Two Perth nonprofits have been overwhelmed by "intense" community interest in their offer of free training in recognising signs that a loved one might be considering suicide.

The four-hour Mental Health First Aid for the Suicidal Person course teaches people how to see subtle signs, to approach someone they are worried about and support them in a crisis.

The course teaches people the warning signs. Credit:Louie Douvis

Its providers, Passionate Lives and Kwinana in Transition, have provided the program before but knew cost was a barrier to participation, so won funding from the City of Kwinana to offer three free workshops.

They filled the first two editions forty places in 24 hours and have now extended the invitation to wider Perth to fill the 20 places in the third workshop.