Newyddion
Calling all Clubs - Free Mental Health Training and Support
03/09/2024 00:00, I Mewn Blog /
Notice for Welsh Athletics Affiliated Clubs.
Welsh Athletics and Run Wales are committed to promoting positive mental health across the running network in Wales and to signpost runners to professional support.
We have teamed up with Mind Cymru, the mental health charity, to develop a Mental Health Champions Scheme for our membership. This builds upon the successful Mental Health Champions #RunAndTalk programme led by England Athletics and Mind.
We have committed to deliver free mental health awareness training and a champions scheme for Athletics Clubs and Social Running Groups across Wales.
It is our ambition that every affiliated club and social running group will have at least one mental health champion, who are trained to:
• Promote the positive impact running can have on mental health
• Spot the signs someone might be struggling with their mental health
• Support people in their club or group
• Signpost people to further support for their mental health.
The scheme has been developed by Welsh Athletics and Mind in response to feedback from clubs and groups involved in our initial co-design sessions and pilot project. We are now ready to progress to the next stage, which is the recruitment of volunteers from other clubs and groups to embark on the training to become Mental Health Champions. We invite your club to participate in this next phase of the rollout.
In response to the information gathered through the co-design process, we have created the Role Description, which should be carefully considered when selecting your volunteers for this important role. We would like your club leadership team to liaise with your membership to ensure that you nominate the most appropriate individuals and that they are fully aware of the expectations of them within the role.
The free training provided to these volunteers will be in two parts, the first of which is self-paced CIMPSA accredited eLearning, and the second is mandatory training facilitated by Mind. There are currently two opportunities to attend the Mind sessions available, either in person or via two online group sessions. The dates and times are as follows:
Saturday 14th September 10:30-14:30 - Swansea
Wednesday 18th AND 26th September 18:30 - 20:30 - Online meeting via Zoom
We have an online process for submitting nominations for the role, which can either be completed by a club representative, or by the nominees themselves.
If you are not the most appropriate person to be providing this information, please forward this email accordingly. We request that your nominations are completed ASAP to allow time for candidates to complete part one of the training prior to the Mind facilitated session.
Please also be aware that places on the training sessions are limited in number so will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis.
We look forward to receiving your nominations and helping to support mental health within your running community.