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As World Mental Health Day (October 10) is celebrated around the globe, we’re also pleased to recognize the first anniversary of our Head In the Game (HITG) program powered by Z Zurich Foundation. The holistic program was created in response to the youth mental wellbeing crisis in the U.S. to aid in improving outcomes for 13- to 19-year-olds and to help close the gap on inequities.
Encompassing grants and capacity building, coaches trainings, targeted teen advocacy and community learning, we’re proud to share the progress made over the past year.
AN URGENT NEED FOR ACTION
In January 2022, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a rare public health advisory calling on the nation to respond to the growing youth mental health crisis, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic and social unrest. In response, Beyond Sport and the Z Zurich Foundation, in collaboration with Zurich North America, launched HITG. The program collaborates with and engages members of the U.S. sports community – community, collegiate and professional – providing resources to support mental wellbeing and help normalize conversations on mental health.
HITG uses a systems-change approach encompassing prevention, promotion and attitudinal change with a special focus on youth of color, LGBTQ+ youth and girls. While all young people are increasingly struggling with anxiety, depression, stress and more, rates are even higher for these groups. The program develops the capacity of people engaging with youth to respond to their mental wellbeing needs, while also providing a diverse range of digital resources for teens and caregivers, trainings on coaching through a mental wellbeing lens and a Learning Community platform.
STRENGTHENING YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS & COACHES
Over the last year, we funded 43 sport-based youth development nonprofits (SBYD) that are positively impacting the mental wellbeing of over 50,000 young people in California, Illinois, Minnesota and New York. In the last decade, these states have seen a surge in Black, Indigenous, people of color and LGBTQ+ populations, but mental health resources haven’t kept up. Sports used run the gamut from basketball to soccer to figure skating to running and more in conjunction with educational programming and supportive spaces.
To broaden the program’s reach, 2000+ youth sport coaches across the country are also taking part in our free HITG Coaches Training series led by experts from the Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport (CHJS), Doc Wayne, Get Fit Fly Right, Soccer Without Borders and the U.S. Center for Mental Health and Sport. Collectively, the coaches reach more than 170,000 13-19-year-olds each year. A selection of virtual, self-paced and past in-person sessions range from creating LGBTQ+ affirming athletic spaces to using healing-centered sport to coaching in communities experiencing violence. Workshops offer strategies and approaches to address high-stress environments, trauma, multi-cultural perspectives, self-awareness and mental hygiene. This comprehensive approach not only attracts and supports traditional coaches but also others in caregiver roles.
“A coach can be anyone who supports youth in movement-based activities. As a result, our training has benefited not just the “traditional coach” but a wider range of individuals. Participants have included academic staff, social workers and leadership teams from sport-based youth development organizations, as well as parents and other caregivers,” said Beyond Sport Senior Grants and Programs Manager, Claudia Larrea.
After the training, coaches are better able to recognize signs of mental wellbeing challenges and have supportive conversations with young people. Most importantly, they’re gaining knowledge on protective and preventative tools that will increase their ability to support their youth – essentially helping to prevent the problem before it becomes a problem. These tools include stress management, spotting the signs and symptoms of a mental health challenge and how to de-escalate a situation to avoid harm to oneself or others.
“I have seen first-hand how TAPtalks provides safe space for coaches to vulnerably learn, grow and rediscover themselves, it is sacred ground. I am honored to be a part of Head In the Game because it gives opportunities to businesses like mine and a platform that inspires coaches like myself to continue learning,” shared Get Fit Fly Right training facilitator, Coach D.
Coaches have noted that they feel more equipped and empowered to make deeper connections with the young people in their programs and that they are more sensitive to a variety of mental health needs and ways to address them. This was also reflected in the young people who shared increased feelings of trust and stronger relationships with their coaches.
“The training gave us useful tips around the types of issues kids are facing (anxiety, depression, etc.) and how to help kids talk about their feelings, which we are passing along to our community and incorporating into our programming. By adding this extra layer onto our existing programming, we will be able to do a better job of supporting our athletes’ mental wellbeing,” explained Suzanne Phillips, Executive Director of KEEN Los Angeles.
Coaches can register for our remaining training sessions here.
PROVIDING DIVERSE RESOURCES FOR TEENS
A key component of our advocacy is a custom teen-focused social campaign and website dedicated to sharing educational resources, stories of inspiration, supportive tips and crisis hotline information. This includes guiding trusted adults, parents, coaches and community members on how they can support youth in their care. We are honored to have brought on WNBA All-Star and Minnesota Lynx guard, Kayla McBride, former NFL player and mental health advocate Joe Barksdale, CHJS, Exposure Skate, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation and New York City FC and their City In The Community foundation as ‘Collaborators.’ By sharing their personal journeys, tips and experiences through short videos and narratives, they are reinforcing that mental wellbeing challenges affect everyone.
“I really, really felt so connected to the campaign and what they stood for since day one. As a Black woman, especially a Black woman athlete, growing up sometimes I wish I would’ve had someone to support me through my mental health journey,” shared McBride. “I think the biggest thing with mental health is the self-awareness. Sometimes it’s hard to look in the mirror and say we’re not okay. But I think that the only person is built for your mental health journey is you and figuring out what you need.”
Over the year, the awareness campaign has covered topics such as myths vs realities, cultural competence, building resilience, self-care, stress management, allyship respecting pronouns and much more. #HeadInTheGame leverages social media to connect with teens where they are, providing them with reels, motivational stories, practical advice and tools to engage with on their own time. Through them, we’re working to break down stereotypes and barriers, while empowering teens to take control of their mental wellbeing.
Perspectives from student-athletes, mental wellbeing experts, coaches, professional athletes, young people and community members helps ensure that there are a range of tools and tips that can be used in everyday life. The campaign is accessible on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, X, Linkedin, Facebook and web. Please encourage young people you know to follow and share their thoughts on content so that we can continue to develop!
BUILDING A COMMUNITY FOR LEARNING
To engage the wider world of sport, we created the HITG “Learning Community,” an interactive virtual platform for those committed to advancing youth mental wellbeing. It unites youth professionals, community-based organizations, experts in the sports and mental health space, athletes, teams and others.
Community members can:
- Access resources and participate in trainings led by sport and mental wellbeing experts
- Create and contribute to community conversations on supporting youth mental wellbeing
- Ask direct questions to and share ideas with other members
- Build community and collaborate in interest- and affinity-based ‘Team Huddles’
- Share and celebrate wins, big and small and best practices that are leading to positive youth mental wellbeing
The Learning Community not only provides members access to resources but also a self-paced course on mental hygiene – the practice that helps people maintain their mental health and well-being – and right empathy, which is the action of being well-attuned to people’s feelings and emotions.
Over the past year, we’ve seen the Community grow alongside the program. Weekly roundups highlight new members, helpful toolkits and resources, member feedback and training options. 95% of members have shared that their organization is already putting learnings from the Community into practice.
We’re proud of the impact that Head In The Game has already had and look forward to expanding the program to make a deeper impact on teen mental wellbeing in the U.S.
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