Here at the Ospreys, we’re proud to be championing mental health awareness and actively take part in conversations about mental health. But we know that talking about how you’re feeling isn’t always easy. Many people find tackling their mental health tough, and men in particular find it hard to reach out.
To coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week, Ospreys in the Community, in partnership with Public Health Wales, is embarking on a new project to tackle men’s mental health in the region.
Suicide rates in our region are some of the highest in Wales. We’ve seen the impact losing men from the squad has on the game, and the impact that losing lives out in the community is even more devastating.
There’s so many things that influence mental health, and what may work for some people won’t work for all of us. We need you to help us understand how you are doing so that we know how we can support you to stay on top of your game, whatever your “game” may be on a day to day basis.
To do this, we’re kicking off with some insight work, in partnership with research consultancy Trinity McQueen. We’re looking to send out an anonymous survey to give us a snapshot in time of how you are doing. Using this insight, we’ll be looking to reach out to some of you for a 1:1 interview, to help us understand some of the deeper detail.
We want to speak to a wide range of people from our rugby community; from those who have struggled with their mental health right through to those who feel they’ve never been impacted by their state of mind. You may be one of the many people who struggle on a day to day basis, or be close to someone who does. They may be a family member, partner, friend, teammate, colleague or neighbour. We need you to help us to help you and the people around you.
By taking part in our research, you will help us tackle men’s mental health so that we can develop an action plan to support our community better. We will also be using the research to inform an awareness campaign, in partnership with communications agency jamjar.
If you are interested in taking part, please email us on wellbeing@ospreysrugby.com.
A member of the Ospreys in the Community team will be in touch with you to discuss how you can help shine a light on this issue.
Speaking out is the only way to end the stigma around mental health. Thank you for your support.