Warwickshire Cricket Board (WCB) today announces its support for Mental Health Awareness Week 2021 and is proud to announce that they are the first Cricket Board in England and Wales to have all their Community Cricket Coaches Youth Mental Health First Aid Trained.
WCB with the support of MHFA England have trained 10 coaches from the board in Youth Mental Health First Aid, who deliver community cricket projects to men women boys and girls across the county.
WCB recognise that taking care of mental health is as important as maintaining good physical health. A new PHE survey reveals more than eight in ten (83%) people have experienced early signs of poor mental health including feeling anxious, stressed, having low mood or trouble sleeping in the last 12 months. While these can be a natural response to life’s challenges, they can become more serious if people don’t take action.
The training was developed by WCB Community Cricket Development Manager Eaton Gordon and is supported/funded by Cricket Charity Chance to Shine.
It’s fantastic to provide the skills and knowledge to all our community coaches, who bring together so many young cricketers to enjoy competitive cricket across the county. Having joined the team on the training, I personally understand the potential we have to support during these difficult times,” said Eaton Gordon.
“Understanding how we can help the communities we serve in Birmingham and further afield during these special times is vital. Providing the training and skills for our coaches will give them the confidence to understand and provide relevant support and signposting if needed.”
Bianca Jones, mental health first aid instructor and an associate of the MHFA England said “It was a pleasure working with WCB and its team. It is vital that we are proactive to make the mental health support accessible for everyone. This is a great example of how we can further upskill coaches via our programmes to be more aware of the early signs of poor mental health. We’re delighted to be working with the fantastic community coaching team at WCB to have become Mental Health First Aiders during these difficult time.”
For more information regarding Warwickshire Cricket Board Community Cricket contact Eaton Gordon on [email protected].
Click here to learn more about Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England
Click here to find out more about EDP Training (Bianca Jones)
