Opening access to sport for people with mental health problems

Hayley Jarvis – Community Programmes Manager (Sport)

Gavin Atkins – Head of Community Programmes and Grants

Overview of the workshop• Introduction to Mind and the services we offer

• What is the relationship between sport and

mental health and why it’s important?

• Get Set to Go – Mind’s new sport programme

• What is the Mental Health Charter for Sport &

Recreation and why do we support it?

• Identify practical ways you can implement the

Charter in your organisation

Who are Mind?

We’re Mind, the mental health charity.

We’re here to make sure anyone with a

mental health problem has somewhere to

turn for advice and support.

According to the World Health Organization, by 2020 depression will be the second most common cause of ill health after heart disease.

This week in the UK:• 104 people will take their own life

• 250,000 people will visit their doctor about

a mental health problem

• 750,000 prescriptions for antidepressants

will be issued.

What is the relationship between sport and mental health? Why Sport?1. Sport and physical activity as a tool to prevent and

manage mental health problems

Physical activity is associated with improved psychological

wellbeing, for example reductions in stress, anxiety and

depression, as well as improved mood and self-esteem, better

brain function and improved wellbeing across all age groups.

Darren E.R. Warburton, Crystal Whitney Nicol, Shannon S.D. Bredin (2006), Health benefits of

physical activity: the evidence

State of Science Review: SR-E24 (2008), The Effect of Physical Activity on Mental Capital and

Wellbeing

• The Chief Medical Officer has said that “physical

activity has an important role to play in

promoting mental health and wellbeing by

preventing mental health problems and

improving the quality of life of those

experiencing mental health problems and

illnesses”.

• Exercise can be as effective as antidepressants

for those with mild clinical depression or anxiety

2. Mental health and elite sport report

Found in the first year after retirement from sport:

•17% admit to high levels of anxiety/stress

•16% admit to loss of self esteem and confidence

•16% admit to depression and feelings of despair

•Two years after finishing 32% did not feel in control of their lives

•24% admit to on-going physical, mental, addiction or financial problems

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEq_YuXnKfk

Running is my therapy; it’s my smile ticket for the day, or just tames the dragon back into its cave so I can function.

Get Set to Go - Local deliveryWorking with local Minds and partners in four regions:

London – Brent and Croydon

North East – Middlesbrough & Stockton and Tyneside

North West – Rochdale and Lancashire

West Midlands – Dudley and Herefordshire

• Weekly group peer support sport sessions and taster sessions

• 1-1 sessions through a team of volunteer peer navigators

• Tailored training and mentoring to sports partners

• Develop regional sports and mental health learning networks

Scaling up in 2017…

75,000

people

National delivery

Marketing and communications campaign• Sport and mental health booklet

• National campaign bursts – 13 July 2015

Engage external stakeholders• NGBs and physical activity providers providing a local offer

• Mental Health Charter for Sport and Recreation

• Wider opportunities to work with partners

National delivery

Online peer support within Elefriends community

• Positive discussions about sport and

physical activity

• Somewhere safe to discuss the barriers that

prevent people taking part in sport and

physical activity

• Provide peer to peer support and

encouragement programme

Mental Health Charter for Sport and Recreation

• Developed by the sector with support from Mind

and Time to Change

• Launched in March 2015 with support from Nick

Clegg DPM and Clarke Carlisle

• Received national and local media coverage

•140 signatories to date and growing

Background to the Charter

1. Promote wellbeing

2. Promote and adopt good mental health

policies and best practice

3. Promote positive messages using diverse role

models and ambassadors

4. Tackle discrimination

5. Support a pan-sport approach and share

resources and best practice

6. Monitor your performance, assess progress

and take positive action on mental health

issues

About the Charter

Your Charter Action Plan needs to consider…..

Charter action plan

Athletes and

officials

Employees

Volunteers Participants

Fans and spectators

1. Promote wellbeing

2. Promote and adopt good mental health

policies and best practice

3. Promote positive messages using diverse role

models and ambassadors

4. Tackle discrimination

5. Support a pan-sport approach and share

resources and best practice

6. Monitor your performance, assess progress

and take positive action on mental health

issues

Your Charter Action Plan needs to consider…..

Activity

In your groups discuss how

you will bring the Charter to

life through action in your

organisation.

• Take action

• Online resources

• Keep up the momentum

• Share good practice

• World Mental Health Day –

10 October 2015

What next?

What one action

will you take away

from today’s

workshop?

Questions?

Contact detailsHayley JarvisCommunity Programmes Manager (Sport)h.jarvis@mind.org.uk 07796447894#GetSetToGowww.mind.org.uk/sport