Michael O’Dwyer, head trainer at ROC football club, and Siobhan O’Dwyer, senior coach for the new women’s team, have just completed the Mental Health First Aid training course through P3 Sports and Recovery in Berwick.
They were both sponsored by the Berwick Rotary Club which has been working within the community to promote the wellbeing of young people in order to lower the rate of youth suicide in Casey and Cardinia shires.
Michael said the course has given him a structure and solid tools to draw on when talking and listening to the many young people he deals with.
“As coaches, we look after many and varied issues, often raised by young people who see us as a constant role model in their lives.
“I now know more about the services I can draw on as well as the importance of recognizing the signs of personal trauma, often before it would otherwise be noticed.
“It isn’t my role to solve all problems, and this course doesn’t advocate that, but, as a coach, role model, and senior club person, it is my role to be aware and know how to help.
“I will be advocating strongly for all football clubs to make this training compulsory.”
Berwick Rotary began promoting the initiative of encouraging sporting codes to have a MHFA trained official after the public response they received from the youth mental health forums run in the area.
Six people recently signed up for the training provided by Narre Warren Rotary Club at the end of the forum.
One of the speakers told the audience that three years ago this area was the most at risk for youth suicide in Australia. Today it is back to the national average.
The Narre Warren Rotary Club itself is helping Berwick to promote MHFA training to its local football clubs and to date a coach at Narre Warren Football Club has also finished the course.
Convener of the Narre Warren forum Lilian Wellings said how proud she was of the work her Rotary club has done to assist Berwick Rotary to spread the word.
Jim Armstrong from Berwick Rotary Club said he was excited to hear the many positive comments from the community.
“We can’t rely on money from governments. We need to rely on people power.
“I know if I were looking for a club to send my child to for sport, I would be really pleased to choose one which promotes not only the physical wellbeing of my child, but the psychological wellbeing also.
“If the community at large expects someone to be trained in these clubs, the clubs will feel it appropriate to make it a part of their structure.
“After all, first aid training is a given today. I’d like to think mental health first aid training will be, too.”
Senior women’s coach Siobhan said: “I am in a unique position to be mentoring young women, some with confidence, some with insecurities, all in the position of being watched and judged as the first female football players in a serious competition.
“They are surrounded on all sides at training by the men and some will find that intimidating by itself.
“I have a huge responsibility to give them a good experience and as more women’s teams join the competition it will become a strong concern for parents to choose a club with the understanding and willingness to meet the challenges going forward.”
Mental Health First Aid training is a two-day course.
The course can be tailored to suit circumstances and information can be sought through P3 Sports via its Facebook page or in person.
For information on getting involved in the valuable community through Berwick Rotary Club, check out the Facebook page or see Berwickrotary.org.
