Merseyside Mental Health Week (November 2-6) promotes positive mental wellbeing and brings people across the region together to provide a united voice on mental health, raise awareness of the scale of the challenge and promote the support available to anyone struggling with their mental health.
LFC Foundation’s Youth Panel came together via video call to talk about mental health and discuss strategies for mental wellbeing, with a particular focus on the challenging times faced by many as we continue to live with the impact of COVID-19.
The Youth Panel, which was formed in 2016, was created to give young people a voice in their local community on issues that really matter to them. The group has created social action projects to support in tackling homelessness, food poverty and improving mental health. The group also helps to inform the direction of LFC Foundation projects to better support the community.
As part of its wider focus on mental health, LFC Foundation recently launched a number of new projects to help children, young people and adults across its programmes.
Working with national charity Action for Children, the On-Target programme supports and improves the mental health and wellbeing of young people in secondary schools across the Liverpool City Region.
The new 10-week programme is designed to help children recognise the signs of mental health issues, look at techniques and strategies to improve their mental health and where to go if they have concerns.
New funding will also support a dedicated professional counsellor for LFC Foundation, who will be available to provide crisis intervention to any participants referred by Foundation coaches and staff working in the local community.
In addition, there will be drop-in community-based provision also led by specialists to provide advice and guidance, where needed.
An adult male suicide prevention programme, delivered with partners and specialist service providers, will also be launched in the coming months. The targeted programme will encourage men to talk if they have problems and how to look out for their friends’ mental wellbeing too.
Liverpool FC have a dedicated team of Safeguarding specialists who can offer help and support. For more information, please visit www.liverpoolfc.com/fans/safeguarding.
If you or someone you know needs specialist support, please contact:
- Samaritans – 116 123
- Papyrus – teenage suicide / mental health - 0800 068 4141
- NSPCC – Childline – 0800 111.