MPNFL: Red Hill FNC benefits from wellbeing program
Red Hill’s number one ticket holder Hamish McLachlan has applauded the Hillmen for providing a wellbeing program to its players and supporters through the coronavirus crisis.
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Red Hill Football Netball Club has been using a wellbeing support and education program to help its players and supporters through the coronavirus crisis.
Club president Graham Sherry says the initiative has been wonderful for his club.
“It’s been great,’’ he said.
“It’s a point of reference...everybody knows we have the program in place.
“There are ambassadors amongst all the teams, so they can pick and choose who they go and talk to.
“There’s someone there to talk to, that’s the main benefit of it.’’
A trusted wellbeing officer has been appointed to oversee the program and areas supported include employment and education, drugs and alcohol, anxiety and depression, gambling, financial matters and personal relationships.
“We’ve also got support from our coaches and coterie members to give up potential career advice, job seeking advice — it’s not just mental health, it’s overall wellbeing on many fronts,’’ Sherry said.
“Just having that as a tool is a very good thing for our club.’’
Those requiring help have received support in a confidential environment.
“Just how important it has been we’ll never know, but it’s a tool that has been actively used,’’ Sherry said.
The program has also been endorsed by leading sports broadcaster Hamish McLachlan, Red Hill’s number one ticket holder.
McLachlan, who has a property at nearby Tuerong and is a passionate Red Hill supporter, says it’s important to have discussions around mental health.
“Mental health is now so much easier to talk about it than it once was...and we need to keep that conversation going, and loudly,’’ McLachlan said.
“It’s not acceptable to be silent on it as a sufferer, or as a mate of a sufferer.
“Red Hill FC has taken on the responsibility to keep the conversation going and providing outlets to talk and share and try and prevent dark days by staying physically and mentally healthy.
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“It’s a great privilege to be a part of a club with such a keen interest in the people in the community”.
*Red Hill’s leadership group came up with an idea to help out the club’s sponsors, some of which have been doing it tough during the pandemic.
So, last Saturday, four groups of eight players, plus senior coach Jamie Mollo, gave up five hours of their time to do various jobs.
“We had a group up renovating our scoreboard and a group refreshing all the trophy cabinets in the clubrooms,’’ Sherry said.
“It was an initiative put up by all the players and it was very well received.’’