Tackling the mental health stigma in youth football

ongoing

Engaging in regular exercise has long been proven to evoke a whole range of physical and mental health benefits. Physical activity has been shown to play a significant role in primary and secondary prevention of many chronic diseases, such as health benefits can be observed even with relatively minor physical activity volumes. Football is one of the world's most popular activities for youth, a sphere where they can acquire physical, mental, and educational skills, develop healthy habits, and build life-long friendships. In recent years, however, youth football has begun to face up to the myriad issues within its ranks that can compromise the health, safety, and integrity, driving youth organisations to measures for safeguarding and protecting their members from maltreatment. Despite its societal role and the fact that football provides physical and health benefits, youth football players are not exempt from mental health issues, and playing football does not make them immune to mental health challenges. TEAM aims to conduct evidence-based research amongst youth football on the challenges and effects of mental health and the need for mental well-being. The project will identify and map the general mental health issues/symptoms in youth football, and track and comprehend the level of awareness and knowledge of youth football players and staff in recognising and responding to mental health issues/symptoms. TEAM will introduce a Handbook to raise awareness, provide insights, and introduce good practices to the youth football stakeholders, practitioners, and policy-makers on how to recognize, respond and tackle youth mental health stigma. TEAM has a clear European added value with broad EU relevance, as it targets all 55 European members of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). The findings of this project involve and affect a variety of stakeholders such as citizens, the private sector, national authorities, European and international level authorities.