Guiding hand for football talent

SEEKING help for mental health issues will be a focus of a curriculum developed for boys and girls in the AFL’s talent pathways program under a partnership with youth mental health support service headspace.

Aimed at 16-18-year-olds, the partnership will seek to equip the next generation of AFL stars with tools to address their mental health and wellbeing before they reach the big time.

The program will also discuss strategies to maintain good mental health and aim to reduce the stigma around those issues.

Headspace chief executive Jason Trethowan said it was critical young people knew how to manage their mental health, support their peers and seek support.

“This partnership with the AFL provides a great opportunity to continue to address and reduce the stigma around mental illness and in doing so, ensure young people and their families have the tools and resources to navigate potentially challenging times,” Mr Trethowan said.

The AFL’s head of mental health and wellbeing, Kate Hall, said the program aimed to equip 16-18-year-old with tools to deal with their challenges.

“We have an incredible opportunity to educate and empower young players who are connected to our game,” Dr Hall said.

“Together with headspace, we will develop and embed a curriculum across the talent pathways to support the mental health and wellbeing of young people striving to play the game at the highest level.”

More than 248,000 young people aged between 12 and 18 are involved in Australian football.