Activity Alliance to lead new Regional Mental Health Network
As part of our continued partnership with mental health charity Mind, Activity Alliance is pleased to confirm it will lead a new East Midlands Physical Activity and Mental Health Network. One of nine new regional hubs to help more people with mental health problems to engage in physical activity.
Mental health charity Mind has set up a network of nine new regional hubs to support sport and physical activity organisations to be more inclusive of people with mental health problems. With support from Mind and Sport England, each Network will work to improve levels of mental health awareness and upskill local organisations.
Activity Alliance is pleased to lead Mind’s East Midlands Physical Activity and Mental Health Network. As lead organisation, we will work to increase the number of regional organisations who are equipped with the skills to engage more disabled people and people with mental health problems in physical activity. The Network will offer training, toolkits and resources, and provide a platform for sharing better practice.
The Regional Networks will receive support and funding from Mind until 31 March 2021. Lead organisations will have autonomy and responsibility for designing, delivering and implementing their Regional Network. Each Network will aim to engage at least 70 organisations and upskill 160 people such as coaches, volunteers and staff in mental health awareness.
Confirmed Regional Network lead organisations include: Activity Alliance, Tyne & Wear Sport, Merseyside Sports Foundation, Yorkshire Sport Foundation, Sport Birmingham, Herts Sport Partnership, Active Oxfordshire and Active Dorset.
Hayley Jarvis, Head of Physical Activity, said:
"We know that physical and mental health go hand in hand and it is now well-established that being more physically active can have real benefits to our mental health. Yet despite this, many people with mental health problems face barriers to getting active, ranging from fears about physical appearance or being intimidated by going to the gym, to finding it hard to get out of the house.
"The good news is that, by upskilling staff and volunteers across the sport and physical activity sector, we can begin to break down some of these barriers. We hope that the Regional Networks will help bring about real change in the sector that leads to more people with mental health problems feeling able to get more active."
Catherine Slater, Activity Alliance Engagement Advisor for East Midlands said:
"We recognise the role that sport and activity plays in the lives of disabled people and people with mental health problems.
"We are delighted to join forces with Mind on the development of their Regional Networks. Collaborative thinking and delivery will be essential to improving mental health awareness across the Network; and remove some of the barriers disabled people and people with mental health problems face when getting active. We look forward to working with organisations across the East Midlands to ensure more people can reap the benefits of an active lifestyle."
