England Golf is working with Mind and Mental Health First Aid England to launch a powerful new initiative called Fore Your Mind, to support better mental health in the golf community.
The programme will provide clubs and facilities with opportunities to support members with their mental health, courtesy of Mental Health First Aid England training and resources.
One in four people will experience a mental health problem each year. Fore Your Mind will support golfers by signposting to various providers of mental health support services, including Mind and the NHS, whilst giving golfers an insight into mental health, how they can look after their own, and how to spot the signs of poor mental health in their friends, family and colleagues.
This project also supports clubs, counties and facilities, with the aim of appointing at least one Mental Health First Aider among their staff and volunteers.
Bedfordshire County piloted the Fore Your Mind initiative in January, training up 15 Mental Health First Aiders for the clubs in the region. And the results have already shown that Fore Your Mind is having a promising impact on the golf community.
Bedfordshire County Golf Secretary, David Hawkins, said: “Three years ago, I went through a very difficult patch. I reached out to a friend who I knew had gone through some tough times himself, and he pointed me in the right direction.
“I received support and the sessions really helped me, to the point that I now give several hours a week to try and help others going through mental health problems. I reached out to England Golf and alongside the team there, we put a plan in place, using Bedfordshire as a pilot, and the results have been fantastic.
“In just a month, we’ve had over 25 key conversations with people coming to our first aiders, and several already seeking further support. This immediate impact shows the importance of having first aiders in place as soon as possible, because there are so many people out there who need somebody to talk to, and the reality is, it could save so many lives.”
If you or your club would like to know more, click here. If you would like to become a Mental Health First Aider, click here.
Check out England Golf’s Health Hub, which includes Golf Fore Her, by clicking here.
About Mind:
- Mind is the leading mental health charity in England and Wales. They provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding. They won't give up until everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets both support and respect. mind.org.uk
- Mind has a confidential information and support line, Mind Infoline, available on 0300 123 3393 (lines open 9am - 6pm, Monday – Friday)
- Mind’s online mental health community Side by Side is a safe space where anyone aged 18 and over with experience of a mental health problem can share their story, connect with others, access Mind’s wider information and resources, and give support in return. Find out more at sidebyside.mind.org.uk.
- Mind offers free resources for employers to help improve mental wellbeing. For more information, visit mind.org.uk/work
About Mental Health First Aid England:
• Mental Health First Aid England is a social enterprise, established in 2009. It is the national authority on mental health first aid.
• MHFA England’s vision is to improve the mental health of the nation by creating societal change so we can all talk freely about mental health and offer and seek support when we need it.
• This will be achieved by its mission to train at least 1:10 of the adult population in mental health knowledge, awareness, and skills. To date 1:40 (January 2023) of the adult population has been trained by MHFA England.
• MHFA England will achieve its mission through delivering mental health training into workplaces and will extend its reach to the NHS and Black people and People of Colour, through subsidised training.
• The organisation’s training, consultancy, and campaigning is paving the way for positive mental health in the workplace and beyond.
• MHFA England offers consultancy as well as a number of face-to-face, online, and digital training options to increase mental health awareness, knowledge, and skills, including the internationally licensed product, Mental Health First Aid.
• Mental Health First Aid is the mental health equivalent of physical first aid training and provides people with the skills and confidence to recognise the signs and symptoms of common mental health issues, start a conversation, and effectively guide a person towards the right support, be that self-help or professional services.
• More information about MHFA England and its courses can be found at mhfaengland.org or by emailing info@mhfaengland.org.
Comments