WheelPower signs up to Alliance's Mental Health Charter
The National Disability Sports Organisation and charity WheelPower has pledged their support for the Sport and Recreation Alliance's Mental Health Charter. Over 230 organisations have signed-up to the Charter since it launched. WheelPower is proud to be one of those organisations and is committed to taking positive action around mental health.
The Sport and Recreation Alliance alongside the Professional Players Federation and with support from the mental health charity Mind, have created the Mental Health Charter for Sport and Recreation.
WheelPower is dedicated to providing opportunities for disabled people to find a sport they enjoy and provide opportunities to introduce people to wheelchair sport. As a National Disability Sports Organisations, EFDS benefits from their Membership on the Federation.
WheelPower want their sports and physical activities to create a welcoming, inclusive and positive environment for everyone, including for participants, professionals, volunteers and spectators. They want to encourage people to discuss mental health and also to seek help and support when it is needed.
Every year, one-in-four of us will experience a mental health problem. Yet it is still something the majority of us are loath to talk about or address.
This Charter sets out how sport can use its collective power to tackle mental ill health and the stigma that surrounds it.
- Every year, one-in-four people will experience a mental health problem
- Around 30% of those suffering from a long-term physical mobility or health condition also have a mental health problem, most commonly depression/anxiety
- Yet it is still something the majority of us are loath to talk about or address. This is something that has to change.
The Charter aims to:
- create a welcoming, inclusive and positive environment for everyone to participate in sport and recreation
- encourage people to talk about mental health
- support people to seek help and support when needed
By signing up to the Charter, WheelPower commits to:
- promote wellbeing with a special focus on encouraging physical activity and social interaction for their contribution to good mental health
- promote and adopt good mental health policies and best practice
- promote positive messages using diverse role models and ambassadors
- tackle discrimination
- support a pan-sport approach and share resources and best practice
If you’d like to join us as a signatory, you can sign-up sign-up here.
If you would like to talk specifically about mental health, you can find more information and talk to a specialist at Mind charity.
