New mental health support
Schools in West Lothian will now have access to active school coordinators that will be trained to exercise and manage mental health, as well as physical health.
The initiative is a partnership between the Scottish Association for Mental Health ( SAMH) and SportScotland and will be delivered to 79 schools in West Lothian.
It was launched by SAMH’s long-standing ambassador, multiple Olympic Gold Winner Sir Chris Hoy, and the new initiative will offer mental health training to 400 active schools coordinators across Scotland.
The partnership with sportscotland aims to help the next generation of young people protect their mental health through physical activity and sport and the active schools coordinators will benefit from a mental health training programme that teaches practical ways of monitoring and managing mental health through their work in schools across the country.
West Lothian- based active schools manager, Matt Costello, said: “Further education, across the board, on mental health awareness is really important, especially where young people are concerned. We are engaging with young people every day and have the opportunity to identify signs that an individual is struggling with their mental health in the early stages. In doing so, we can make a difference through early intervention and make a real, positive, difference if we think something is wrong. With this training provided by SAMH, we will be better equipped to handle these situations with confidence and hopefully, make a difference to the lives of the young people of Scotland.”
SAMH launched its first sport and physical activity campaign in 2009 alongside Sir Chris Hoy. Billy Watson, chief executive of SAMH, said: “It is especially pleasing that we will be getting to work immediately in schools right across Scotland, so our young people can carry a new understanding and resilience around mental wellbeing through sport and physical activity, for generations to follow.”
Winner of a record haul of six Olympic gold medals, Sir Chris said: “I’m proud to mark 10 years as a SAMH ambassador by launching a new partnership that will help the next generation of young people have better mental health through physical activity. I’ve experienced some of the biggest highs in sporting history but there have been low points too. I’m a real believer in the link between physical activity and good mental health as I know how my mood and wellbeing can be affected if I don’t manage to get out on my bike regularly.”
Stewart Harris, chief executive, sportscotland said: “Young people in particular have told us how they sometimes feel participation isn’t for them, especially when they are facing challenges in their lives. But they have also shared incredible stories of how sport has turned their lives around through the intervention of a teacher or active schools coordinator. That’s why we are working with SAMH to deliver mental health training in schools and communities right across Scotland. If it can help even one young person to cope with mental health problems and allow them to fulfil their potential, that would be a fantastic achievement.”
I’m proud to mark 10 years as a SAMH ambassador