Raising Awareness on World Mental Health Day
Tuesday the 10th of October 2017 marked the 25th annual World Mental Health Day. Each year, Beyond Sport look to raise awareness around an issue that is having an increasing impact on the health and wellness of all sectors of our society.
Founded by the World Federation for Mental Health, the day joins people and organizations together across the world to campaign for change around mental health.
Sport can play a unique role in improving our mental wellbeing, and raising awareness about forms of illness. Physical activity and teamwork alone can combat forms of anxiety, depression and low self-esteem.
This year we decided to celebrate previous winners of the Beyond Sport Global Awards that use sport to improve levels of mental health in the communities in which they operate:
Everton In The Community – Imagine Your Goals
Everton In The Community’s project ‘Imagine Your Goals’ was the deserved winner of this year's Sport for Health and Wellbeing Award. The program uses the power of football as a vehicle to positively address mental illness by raising awareness and challenging societal stigma. Using football as a therapeutic tool, the program adopts a holistic approach to supporting individuals’ overall health and wellbeing by building resilience and creating tangible support networks to combat loneliness and isolation to aid on-going recovery. IYG delivers seven ‘football therapy’ sessions per week, every week covering a broad geographical footprint of Merseyside and has done since 2007.
Doc Wayne Youth Services - Chalk Talk Group Therapy
Doc Wayne Youth Services’ project ‘Chalk Talk Group Therapy’ won the Sport for Health Award in 2016. Operating in public schools and housing development communities in Boston, they reach out specifically to low income youth who suffer from traumatic life experiences, mental illness and live in the daily knowledge that very little is expected of them by anyone. They use the power of sport, fusing it with clinical services, to challenge the norm of traditional talk therapy. Through the simple passing of a ball, the children do not see it as therapy, rather an opportunity to be a part of a supportive culture with consistent and dedicated adults, helping them find their positive path in life and providing hope and possibility for their future.
Isiqalo Foundation – Waves For Change
Isiqalo Foundation’s ‘Waves For Change’ project in Cape Town is pioneering a winning formula of surfing and evidence based therapy programming to improve emotional wellbeing and break the cycles of violence that keep South Africa's youth from their true potential. Resources to support wellbeing and mental health in South Africa are small; only 1% of national health spending is directed at youth. This program is providing young people with a unique opportunity to engage in an incredibly fun and therapeutic sport, whilst also benefitting from the mentoring and support offered to those who are struggling the most.
Talking About Mental Health Is Not A Red Card Offence...
Coinciding with World Mental Health Day, Beyond Sport are running Legal & General’s first-ever mental health event next week. The Not A Red Card Forum on Thursday 19th October at Twickenham Stadium, will focus on how we can raise awareness, educate, and implement programs that make the workplace safe to talk about mental health.
The event will bring together the worlds of business and sport to share techniques that can boost the mental wellbeing, engagement and performance of individuals and teams.
Through inspirational talks, informative panels, practical workshops and valuable idea sessions, attendees will have a chance to hear from sporting legends, health experts, and industry leaders – including strategist and author Alastair Campbell, L&G CEO Nigel Wilson, CEO of Redwood Sara Cremer, Director of Time to Change Sue Baker OBE, and Former Chairman of HBOS Lord Dennis Stevenson CBE.
The host of the day Gabby Logan will also be joined by Olympic stars and mental health advocates Helen Richardson-Walsh, Michael Jamieson, and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson.
This event is invite-only and spaces are limited so please confirm your place directly to Sophie Ray ([email protected]).
