Joe Nickel

Project ManagerFootball and MH action group

Football and MH action group

• The project

• Why football and mental health?

• What is the project going to achieve?

• How is it going to do this?

• How can – how should! – your clubs get involved?

Football and MH action group: partnership

Kick It Out

Premier League

Football Foundation

League Managers

Assoc.

Mental Heath

Foundation

The FA

PFA

Time to Change

Sporting Chance Clinic

Football League Trust

Football clubs

Mental health problems – physical impacts

People with mental health problems are likely to have:

• 2-4 times greater risk of cardiovascular disease

• 2-4 times greater risk of respiratory disease

• 5 times greater risk of diabetes

• Life expectancy for a person with schizophrenia - potentially 10 years less - due to poorer physical health

Physical activity – mental results

“Physical activity is effective in the treatment of clinical depression, and can be as successful as psychotherapy or medication, particularly in the long term.” Chief Medical Officer

[Details at the Mental Health Foundation website: http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/exercise/information-for-gps/]

What does the project want to achieve?

2. Easier for people with MH problems get involved / talk

about it

MAINSTREAM, GRASSROOTS

FOOTBALL

1. Increase MH awareness –

coaches / players

3. SOCIAL CONTACT:

Reduce stigma and discrimination

– make culture more accepting

Social contact – challenge stigma and discrimination in football

How is the project going to achieve this?

• Best practice

• Grassroots education

• Football events

• PR & campaigning

Best practice

• Simple guide for (new) MH projects

• Using experience of existing, established projects

• Aims: Help new projects get established and become effective

• Hosted on The FA website

• Launched in next 3 months

Grassroots education

• Short MH awareness courses

• Delivered to mainstream, grassroots coaches

• Trainers have:– Passion for grassroots sport

– Experience of coaching or training

– Experience of MH problems: SOCIAL CONTACT

• Aim: Train 1,250 coaches by end July

Football events

• One-off events at each PL club

• Mini-tournament, short sided pitches

• Possibly skills coaching?

• Coaches, officials, players – all a mix of people with and without MH problems: SOCIAL CONTACT

• Encouraging long-term integration into mainstream, grassroots clubs

• June / July

PR & campaigning

• Using football structures and organisations – clubs, The FA, Kick It Out

• Build on campaigning work of IYGs projects

• Key tool – video: SOCIAL CONTACT

• Joe and Keith to follow up with Press / PR depts

What do I need from PL clubs?

1) Coaches’ MH awareness training:

– Rooms (and DATES!)

– Promotion with IYGs participants – as trainers?

2) Football activity days: SUPPORT:

– Venues (and DATES!)

– Branding – use club name

– Promotion with IYGs participants

3) Campaigning: Support with your Press / PR dept

What do I need from PL clubs - NOW?

1) Coaches’ MH awareness training:

– Rooms (and DATES!)

– Promotion with IYGs participants – as trainers?

2) Football activity days: SUPPORT:

– Venues (and DATES!)

– Branding – use club name

– Promotion with

3) Campaigning: Support with your Press / PR dept

What do I need from PL clubs - NOW?

1) Coaches’ MH awareness training:

– Rooms (and DATES!)

– Promotion with IYGs participants – as trainers?

2) Football activity days: SUPPORT:

– Venues (and DATES!)

– Branding – use club name

– Promotion with

3) Campaigning: Support with your Press / PR dept