While their initial involvement with the programme has reached a conclusion, Shauna Corbett has said Down club Tullylish are using their recent experience as part of the LGFA TALK Project as a starting point.
Originally launched by the association back in 2020, the LGFA TALK Project is a six-week club-based initiative aimed at increasing the awareness of positive mental health in young members aged between 13 and 18 years, as well as removing the stigma associated with the subject area.
Last Saturday saw the participants from the Lawrencetown-based outfit graduating from the programme at Queen's PEC in Belfast, but as Tullylish’s healthy club officer and project lead Corbett explains, they will be looking to expand on their time with this initiative in the coming weeks and months.
"Very much we’re using it as a starting point because there are so many things that we see that we can take from the project," she said.
"Different things and wee strategies that we are going to try and keep up moving forward. We started our 'Couch to 5K’ last Monday with the girls because that was one of the things that they fed back that they wanted to do over the winter.
"One of the other strategies then included the traffic light system.
"You’ve got your red, green and amber. That can be coloured disks thrown into the bucket before a training session. It’s anonymous, but it gives the coach an idea. If there’s any red or amber in there, that means there are some people here tonight that are just not feeling it."
Over the course of their six weeks, the Tullylish players (comprising 27 girls from the club’s U14 and U16 teams) took part in a number of other interesting activities.
This included the production of a TikTok video with the players and jersey presentations at matches – most notably for an U14 championship semi-final and an U16 league final – with each girl giving their team-mate positive feedback in advance of the game.
They also took part in two Pilates sessions and with Corbett’s own background being in physiotherapy, she was eager for the players to reap the benefits of this particular activity.
The project is very much focused on not just raising awareness of positive mental health amongst young footballers, but also on removing the stigma that often surrounds it.
As someone who is the parent of five children – all of whom are actively involved in Tullylish from juvenile level all the way up to the adult grades – Corbett recognises how vital it can be to focus on a subject such as positive mental health.
"I see the importance of that [mental health awareness] and the importance of the young people feeling they have a safe space to vocalise or talk about any concerns they might be having," she said.
"Sometimes that can be making that awareness of ‘it’s actually okay to say you’re not feeling great, but you’re not sure why you’re not feeling great’ or why you’re struggling.
"To have that opportunity of knowing where they can get extra support if they need that. Recognising how we can all recognise and link in with other people around us.
"To look out for that, to see are you aware of anybody who might be struggling and how much it can mean to somebody just to link in with that person and say ‘how are you, how are things?’
