Belgravia Foundation has launched a brand-new ‘Take Charge’ Mental Health eLearning Program (MHeLP) in collaboration with over 20 community sport sector organisations and partners.
MHeLP is a cutting edge, Mental Health eLearning Program developed under the guidance of international mental health and exercise experts for New Zealand and Australian leisure and community sports sectors.
MHeLP was developed by Belgravia Foundation in collaboration with over 20 partners including ActiveXchange, The Aquatic & Recreation Institute (ARI NSW), Aquatics & Recreation Victoria, AUT Millennium, Belgravia Leisure, BK Gym & Swim, COMDANCE, Coaching Zone, Drowning Prevention Auckland, Fitness Australia, Genesis Health + Fitness, JUMP! Swim Schools, Life Saving Victoria, Parks & Leisure Australia, Recreation Aotearoa, SALT, Sports Community, Swimming Australia, Swimming New Zealand, Ninja Parc and NZ Register of Exercise Professionals.
Created in response to the impact of COVID-19’s mandated lockdowns on the mental health of people working and volunteering in the sport and leisure-related industries, the tailored program aims to better equip workers and volunteers with strategies and resources to support their own and others mental health. It is also completely free and self-paced, with educational benefits to completing the program – it earns participants two Fitness Australia continuing education credits (CECs).
Specifically, MHeLP aims to provide knowledge, practical skills and strategies for participants to:
• Build resilience, self-esteem and confidence
• Adapt facilities and programs to make them more inclusive
• Enable and support mental health recovery
• Tackle stigma and discrimination
The free online training program has now been rolled out to 10,000+ employees and volunteers amongst Belgravia Foundation’s collaboration partners throughout the sporting and leisure-related sectors. Early data from the program indicates positive trends in participants knowledge and confidence in supporting those with a mental health issue with participants saying ‘I loved this course! I feel way more confident in assisting friends/family/colleagues with mental health issues or conditions and I love how inclusive the course is. It helps us feel that we really are all in this together.”
Combined, participants who have completed the MHeLP program to date, have reported:
• a 16% increase in confidence and readiness to support a colleague with a mental health issue
• an 18% increase in confidence in adapting their sports and physical programs to accommodate a mental health issue
• a 15% increase in awareness of the barriers to physical activity as a result of poor mental health
• a 20% increase in knowledge of local support networks around mental health
Dr Jeff Walkley, CEO of Belgravia Foundation said ‘MHeLP is offered at no cost to all volunteers and employees to improve the accessibility of the program and mental health conditions that have arisen over the past 12 months.’
“We believe that employees and volunteers working on the frontline in the leisure and community sports sectors are well placed to support members of the local community who may be experiencing different mental health conditions, or psychological distress. A training program such as MHeLP will give these employees and volunteers better capability to support their own, and others mental health,” said Dr Walkley.
MHeLP collaborator and Fitness Australia CEO Barry Elvish said “normalising the conversation around mental health has never been more important. Unfortunately, circumstances over the past 12 months have increased mental health issues in our community. By strengthening the ability of fitness professionals to identify when someone is struggling with their mental health and providing appropriate guidance to help, can be life-changing.”
Diane Gepp, President of COMDANCE has introduced the program to the dance industry as a support tool, stating the program as “a great educational resource promoting Mental Health awareness, supporting inclusion and therefore healthy growth of the fitness industry.” adding, “At COMDANCE, MHeLP is educating our community to be champions in recognising mental health concerns and having the confidence to talk about them, creating a safer, healthier dancing and learning environment.”
MHeLP is available for anyone who works or volunteers within the leisure, sport, aquatics, fitness, dance, wellness and tourism sectors.
HOW TO SIGN-UP TO MHELP
Click the link below
Enter your email address. Set and confirm a password
A confirmation email will be sent to you from the Belgravia Foundation, click the link in the email to confirm your account.
You will be directed to the learning portal. Enter you First Name and Last Name into the info screen.
Click the green SAVE button on the bottom of the screen
Click the purple Start button to launch the course.
