A PARTNERSHIP has been announced between Rural Alive & Well and the Southern Football League to deliver RAW’s Beyond the Sidelines program in all SFL clubs this year.
The partnership, which was announced last week at Sorell’s Pembroke Park, was formed to further challenge and change the status quo of mental health and wellbeing across SFL clubs.
The Beyond the Sidelines program has been developed by RAW to meet an identified need in sporting clubs statewide to have ongoing practical support around mental health and wellbeing.
“Mental Health and player welfare are the biggest issues facing our game and clubs need help to ensure they have the best practices available to help their players, by partnering with RAW we hope to be able to assist in this process,” DFT president Russell Young said.
“The SFL is a strong community-focused football competition and the RAW team will assist the SFL in delivering strategies to our players in trying times.”
RAW CEO Barb Walters said suicide awareness and prevention was a public issue that required a coordinated and combined effort.
“RAW is proud to be partnering with the SFL to deliver our Beyond the Sidelines program in footy clubs across the league,” Ms Walters said.
“RAW’s support goes beyond the sidelines, we have qualified staff who can provide individually tailored support to individuals, to improve their mental health and wellbeing and to navigate the pathway to specialist support services,” she said.
“RAW is there for long term and can be contacted 24/7 via 1800 RAW TAS.”
RAW provides practical and tangible interventions, to promote positive mental health, reduce stigma, address situational stressors and provide access to specialist support services for people who are traditionally hesitant to ask for help.
All RAW programs are evidence based and delivered within the Prevention First Framework model.