Change Makers Report

Overview

TAMHI started the programme Change Makers to work with all the key sporting clubs in the New Lodge area of North Belfast. The idea is to work with one individual in the club who will take the lead in ensuring the club promotes positive mental health and that the club does all it can to tackle social issues in the community.

1. St Patricks FC

2. St Patricks Young Men FC

3. Lighthouse FC

4. Star ABC

5. Holy Family ABC

6. Belfast Kronk ABC

7. Pearce’s GAC

8. NB Harriers

TAMHI is working with all the clubs at a strategic level to combine what they offer with, mental health awareness, employment and learning schemes, drink and drug awareness, crime diversion. All the clubs now value their role in the community – previously they all saw themselves as sports clubs, now they view themselves as Community Champions. Each group is identifying partners, building relationships and putting programmes in place to deal with these issues.

Each club has things they want to change for the benefit of their members, to enable them to grow and develop and to ultimately make the New Lodge a better place to live. TAMHI is using these groups to create templates to inspire others.

It must be noted that it has been challenging – people leave clubs; some clubs have very limited capacity and it is vital to let clubs deal with issues at their own pace. It must be noted the aim originally was that change makers would all meet once a quarter to discuss social issues and deliver themed projects – however TAMHI found this approach to be drawn out and as a result rather than trying to firefight; the New Lodge Strategy for sport was created and all clubs will feed into this and meet at various intervals during the year to deliver community based programmes in partnership with all key community groups – resulting in a much more manageable process and joint up approach to tackle real community issues through the provision of sport.

2 Overview: St Patricks FC Pre/Post TAMHI Intervention

St Patricks FC have been working with TAMHI since 2011 and are one of the most proactive Figure 1: Shows the results of the Pre-Post Questionnaires about the understanding Figure 1 clubs in relation to spearheading best practice. Met with committee, coaches, set up Young of the club members in relation to the clubs commitment to raising the profile of Leaders – talked to them all. Created club resources. mental health. TAMHI Change Maker is Sean Paul Murray aged 18 – young coach who has helped TAMHI engage with 17s and 18s; he is also a coach of the U8s and one of the bright sparks in Q1. How well do you understand the role sport plays in promoting positive mental sustaining the future of the club. He helped organise Communities United for Mental Health health? and has been at the forefront of various club based programmes including Active Learning and Coaching Confidence. Q2. How Confident are you in asking for help or using support services in your community? Sported: 50 direct benefits – however information has got out to 170 young people – 50 surveyed – 12s 13s 17s and 18s Q3. How confident are you in terms of spotting signs of poor mental health in your club?

Q4. How much knowledge do you have on services available to you in your community?

Q5. How familiar are you with your clubs policies and position on safeguarding mental wellbeing?

Q6. How do you rate the clubs current ability and commitment to raise awareness of mental health issues?

Q7. How do you rate your understanding of the role of a participant, role of a coach, and role of family in safeguarding mental wellbeing?

Club Feedback: Update on progress TAMHI Comments: Max Score: 42 QTR1: 42 Policy – In Place Note that the baseline is higher – TAMHI has been working with this club sinse 2011 – they have been at the forefront of creating the blueprint for other clubs to follow and have been 1. Level of Service: Excellent People – Information Distributed and TAMHI has delivered a talk to our committee centre to all ideas and development concepts – were the water has been tested and lessons 2. Person Assigned: Excellent and coaches and young people have been learnt. 3. Evaluation: Excellent 4. Materials: Excellent Programmes – Again Young Males – still a long way off making them 100% confident to ask for help – but really positive feedback and evidence to show approach is engaging. 5. Access: Excellent - Secured £8K+ for various Sports Development camps over the summer; 6. Communication: Excellent each distributed information about looking after ones mental health – Like anything people can continue to learn and in relation to Sported Change makers – this is 7. Impact: Excellent going to continue this with all programmes. only the start of the journey for young Sean Paul and the club have some issues that TAMHI - Change Maker with support from TAMHI supported Communities United is supporting them in overcoming and challenging – they know were mental health sits in Like Most: I have only known Joe personally over a year – but he has been helping the club for Mental Health – young persons 16-18 football tournament were young relation to high in club priorities; they have been able to use this to channel funding as they for a long time - he has really helped the club develop and has been at the forefront of giving people shared their views. are now seen as more than a club in the community. us a voice were previously we have asked for support and been shunned. We know that - Developing Active Learning – mental health awareness on the pitch mental health has high importance and we as a club are best placed to provide a platform to Need to create more resources as the roles are not yet complete – it was always TAMHI’s get information out to the kids and their families that they would not have otherwise got or - Developed Coaching Confidence – football session with positive mental intentions to get around to this but will improve this. went looking for. health message – pilot to be delivered October onwards – TAMHI lead in partnership with School. Create positive attitude to mental health at Like Least: Some external groups put up barriers and are hard to deal with young age - Working towards better facilities as the leading thing that get young Anything else covered: n/a people down is the community itself.

3 Further Comments: Its been great working with Joe, good craic and good banter – especially - (Since 2011 – secured approx. £30K for the club) with a focus on such a serious topic such as mental health which can be off putting; Joe has a Partnerships – School now fully supportive – working towards the Memo of way of engaging with the topic and making us see the benefits of embracing it. Understanding with Lighthouse and New Lodge Youth

Overview: St Patricks Young Men FC Pre/Post TAMHI Intervention Figure 1: St Patricks Young Men FC are based in the New Lodge and cater to 55 Figure 1: Shows the results of the Pre-Post Questionnaires about the understanding of males aged 18-38. Paul Irvine is the Change Maker for this team – these the club members in relation to the clubs commitment to raising the profile of mental guys have committed to safeguarding mental health and raising health. awareness – and TAMHI is supporting them to deal with issues around finding a home base. 21 are aged 18-25 (sported target) Q1. How well do you understand the role sport plays in promoting positive mental health? They have distributed information to all their players about safeguarding Q2. How Confident are you in asking for help or using support services in your mental health and TAMHI has been working actively with the committee community? to challenge and deal with club issues that will provide a better platform to raise awareness. Q3. How confident are you in terms of spotting signs of poor mental health in your club?

Club Feedback: Update on progress TAMHI Comments: Max Score: 42 QTR1: 40 Policy – In Place Feedback really positive – note that this is an all men’s team; the acceptance based one engagement with committee is that distributing information and taking part in awareness 8. Level of Service: Excellent People – Information Distributed and TAMHI has delivered a talk to our committee raising tournaments and setting up programmes to provide a safe and social environment 9. Person Assigned: Excellent and coaches for people to take part in sport etc is all the team will ever commit to. 10. Evaluation: Excellent 11. Materials: Very Good Programmes – Again while there was an improvement in confidence to ask for help; it is still a long way off – Years of Gender programming and perception cannot be changed overnight – there 12. Access: Very Good  identified as an agent for 1. Youth Intervention U19 programme to support were a few who discussed openly how they overcame issues and hard times and sought 13. Communication: Excellent transition from St Pats juniors to St Pats Men (two separate clubs) – aim is help; but only after years (not months) of putting things off to the point were something 14. Impact: Excellent to stop young people becoming disengaged. had to be done.  Also males aged 40+ due to being affected by the conflict are the most Like Most: The injection of passion and enthusiasm Joe has given this club – we have a new likely to suffer from depression and take their own lives in North Belfast – 33 surveys returned – 21 players aged 18-25 (sported age limit) – I cannot exclude others focus on promoting positive mental health; but in relation to sports development and having a so they want to put a walking football project in place will increase at the club as they do not fall within age range. voice that knows what he is talking about and is able to put across the challenges we as a club opportunity to get out and get active and have lots of social benefits. are facing by not having a home facility and a clear identity in our own community in a  If they had a home facility they would use media, posters and banners to raise awareness. constructive way. Trying to find a home pitch – TAMHI using sports development experience They once had mental health training and 3 people turned up – they paid £450 of their to try and make this a reality. own club funds for this. Like Least: Some people’s attitudes outside the club – Joe doing great work; but silly projects  TAMHI supporting various funding applications are being supported because certain people know certain people and Joe is working his socks  Feedback was very negative – classroom based; no information about what to do with off to really help make a difference. Partnerships: TBC information back in club.

4 The committee were really please that they had something practical and simple that they Anything else covered: n/a will now circulate every year and talk to people as part of their club induction – which is a big achievement to date. Further Comments: Thanks to Joe we are moving in a really positive direction and we as a club are getting stronger.

Overview: Star ABC Pre/Post TAMHI Intervention Figure 1: Star ABC delivered a Men’s Heath Project over the Summer of 2014. 10 participants took Figure 1: Shows the results of the Pre-Post Questionnaires about the understanding of part in this project and TAMHI supported the delivery of a Mental Health Talk and the club members in relation to the clubs commitment to raising the profile of mental distribution of resources as well as working with the clubs committee to develop and implement a Mental Health Policy. health.

TAMHI then provided the club with information from all the groups in the community to Q1. How well do you understand the role sport plays in promoting positive mental ensure they were aware of what exactly they did and can do to support people. health?

This was delivered as part of the sported Change Makers Programme. Q2. How Confident are you in asking for help or using support services in your community? 5 of the participants were between 16-25 which is the target group. All Young people to take part in Fight for Life (Oct 2014) Q3. How confident are you in terms of spotting signs of poor mental health in your Change Maker: Liam Corr club?

Club Feedback: Update on progress TAMHI Comments: Max Score: 42 QTR1: 37 Policy – In place; Built Mental Health into Development plan – 95% ready for Clubmark – Liam’s Time Great small project to be part of to engage with young men from the New 15. Level of Service: Excellent Lodge in what was an informal and non-intrusive manner – due to TAMHI 16. Person Assigned: Excellent People – Awareness Raised through Resources – looking at Mental Health First Aid – not approach the men engaged. 17. Evaluation: Very Good interested in any training on offer at the min – happy with talk delivered to committee by 18. Materials: Good TAMHI Great increases all around. Two key observation points. 19. Access: Very Good Programmes: 20. Communication: Excellent 1. There was an increase in the males feeling confident in asking for 21. Impact: Very Good Thanks to TAMHI the applicant has secured funding from Sport NI of approx. £8K in help – but what is apparent is a lot more work needs done to try partnership with Belfast Kronk ABC to deliver various programmes all with a positive mental and get this level above 90%. Young Men in areas like the New Like Most: Joe is really easy to deal with and has provided the club with a clear steer on 1. The health theme laced throughout. Lodge are brought up in a way where HELP seeking behaviour is role we have to play on raising awareness of mental health 2. The role we already play in The Star ABC young people will benefit from new club resources which have been created seen as weakness – greater efforts need to be made to normalise promoting mental health and 3. How we can build programmes based around dealing with social issues that impact on mental wellbeing. and will take part in a Fight 4 Mental Health competition in OCT/NOV 2014- after this event mental health and break down stigma – the participants felt that the sported target will be met. sport was a great vehicle – but felt on a wider scale more needed Like Least: Nothing from TAMHI; everything has been grand – we have talked about the club to be done resources and making a wider variety and having an information stand in the club; but Joe is Secured £22K for development of the club; TAMHI helped secure

5 one person and that is in the pipeline. There is some training programmes which are to be fair 2. Resources for the role of parents, coaches and participants will be rubbish – we as a club struggle to get volunteers to take on any more than they have to; so its Development of Active Learning Mental Health Programme great to be able to do something positive that does not take up much time and defer from designed which should in turn result in an increase in awareness boxing activities. Partnership: Discussing about supporting Belfast Council Boxing Programmes through Liam of responsibilities (Boxing Officer) – also going to revisit setting up a Memo of Understanding with partners; In Anything else covered: A wider variety of resources – as discussed Talks with Artillery Youth about a programme based on capacity building.

Overview: Lighthouse FC/BSA Pre/Post TAMHI Intervention

Lighthouse FC/Belfast Suicide Awareness United are 6 aside teams based in Figure 1: Shows the results of the Pre-Post Questionnaires about the understanding NI Soccer 6s football league – the aim of this group is simple; take part in of the club members in relation to the clubs commitment to raising the profile of tournaments and host tournaments to raise awareness as well as mental health. distrubting information within the league to over 300 regular participants. Based on what is happeing in UK with mental Health Football and Footballs Q1. How well do you understand the role sport plays in promoting positive mental Awareness of Depression. health?

Q2. How Confident are you in asking for help or using support services in your TAMHI lead Joe Donnelly occasionally plays for this team and has community? distributed information and delivered a talk to all participants – as well as supporting them in the Tucker and Titch Cup. Change Maker now Michael Q3. How confident are you in terms of spotting signs of poor mental health in your Meehan. club?

Club Feedback: Update on progress TAMHI Comments Max Score: 42 QTR1: 42 Policy – In Place; working to constitute group to better enable them to access funds This group will always act as an agent to raise awareness, through events. All players are for tournaments aware of the positive role sport plays in raising awareness of issues that affect mental health 22. Level of Service: Excellent and can lead to suicide. Both teams act as fundraising agents and support TAMHI 23. Person Assigned: Excellent People – Information distributed through various Awareness Raining Tournemnts tournaments. 24. Evaluation: Excellent based on FAD FC model. Happy to support this group – formally setting up; will engage with FAD FC in England to 25. Materials: Excellent support development of this section. 26. Access: Excellent Programme 27. Communication: Excellent - Secured AVIC funding for coaching badges for Micahel and 1 other (who 28. Impact: Excellent has now moved to New Zealand) – Working with NI Soccer 6s – Like Most: Thanks to Joe I have my coaching badges and am now working on programmes to -Change Maker Michael Meehan looking at possible social enterprise programme. expand Lighthouse FC impact on the community. Various football tournaments in 2015 -Belfast wide Mental Health World Cup Like Least Partnership – NI Soccer 6s and Lighthouse Anything else covered: more information and tournaments needed outside North Belfast to raise awareness – I have talked to Joe about a Belfast wide tournament

6 Further Comments: n/a

Club Name Comments Policy People Programmes P’ship Holy Family Golden Gloves Only recently re-engaged – lost contact – but they Designed and Club information packs – for Working on new facilities – Ashton Trust – New Lodge Youth contacted me when they needed help with Charity ready to go – around 40 members supported the development of their Commission They are plan which has attracted approx. clubmark; £20K worth of investment Happy to help to try get Paddy Barnes as a high profile working towards ambassador silver/gold Looking a new facility

Supporting new gym upgrade through Sport NI Fight For Peace – programme based around education and training Belfast Kronk ABC This is the club run only by Pat – real capacity issues; Designed – only Club information ready – 20 people Will support Fight for Mental Health 174 Trust fully supportive and will but Pat will do all he can and I am happy with that. need somebody help develop club to attend child Also secured £40K worth of Supporting new gym upgrade through Sport NI protection and investment for new upgrade designated officer and they Also in partnership with Star ABC will get secured funding for a Boxibility Clubmark programme – promote confidence in carers of kids with a disability as well as parents NB Harriers By far the most proactive club TAMHI works with – In place and Met Committee – talked through Awareness Runs – a light touch club Belfast Trust went through a period were TAMHI had to take a step passed things – have 200 information run in year 2014 back as they had club issues to resolve – but met the sheets to distribute committee Tue 16th Sept Work towards a North Belfast Run next year They want to appoint 3 change makers – 1 female, 1 male and 1 junior – have a mental health officer Helping set up clubs in the New Lodge to address the shortfall in Matt Sheilds is championing Mental Health as part of provision for young people Jog Belfast (aimed at weight issues – but mental health sits in this) – referral programmes Working on securing investment

In principle – have agreed to allow the £900 Parkrun cost to be changed to 3 badges for 3 change makers – subject to board approval and sported Pearce’s Worked really well with chair – but he appointed a Created the packs – will reengage At this stage – happy to give them

7 Change maker who ignores calls and who is completely the packs – and sign off in unsupportive and seems like he has little or no time. supporting them if not happy with meeting with club chair. I am meeting the Chair again w/c 29th Sept – to discuss issues as I am not happy with the clubs commitment and direction