Mental Health Champions

About the role

The Mental Health Champion role designed is to support people with mental health conditions so that they can access the benefits of physical activity. A Mental Health Champion is someone who takes action to raise awareness of mental health and challenge stigma. In some cases, and where trained appropriately, Champions can help those who are experiencing mental health problems by signposting them to appropriate support services.

Mental Health Champions aren’t expected to be experts in mental health, or to diagnose mental health problems. Instead, their role is to promote positive mental health and the positive effects of physical activity on mental health within their clubs, organisations or activity setting.

You can find out more about the programme and what you will receive as a Mental Health Champion in this project leaflet.

What we would like Champions to consider doing if they can commit to spending more time in the role:

• Actively promote positive mental wellbeing through means of physical activity within your club/group
• Make links between your club/group with local mental health groups and organisations to encourage their members to be more physically active
• Tweet to support our mental health campaigns
• Share our posts on social media
• Start conversations about mental health with your club/group members
• Share guidance and information from recognised sources like Mind, Rethink Mental Illness, Public Health & NHS

 

Criteria/Candidate specification:

• Must have completed Mental Health Awareness for Sport and Physical Activity Course (free training licenses available when you register as a Champion)
• Be a positive role model
• Have an open and non-judgemental attitude

 

 

Code of conduct

All volunteers must:

• Consider the wellbeing and safety of others
• Promote the positive aspects of the sport and physical activity
• Encourage the local community to take care of mental wellbeing through participation in sport and physical activity through engagement with campaigns and resources
• Never actively promote anti-social behaviour
• Not do anything which is likely to intimidate, offend, insult, humiliate or discriminate against any other person on the ground of gender, race, disability, age, religious or political belief, sexual orientation, social background

 

Volunteering declaration

Please complete this form if you meet the criteria and would like to apply for the role.

Please contact Tom Horey at t.horey2@herts.ac.uk if you would like to discuss this further.