All 42 SPFL clubs have enrolled staff in Mental Health First Aid Training
Our member SPFL Trust released a film in partnership with the Chris Mitchell Foundation that highlights the impact of the footballer’s death – and his remarkable legacy.
The launch coincided with the news that ALL 42 SPFL clubs enrolled staff in Mental Health First Aid Training (MHFAT) which they deliver in partnership with the Chris Mitchell Foundation.
On average five members of staff from each SPFL club, such as community and academy coaches, pastoral staff, and even football managers, have completed the course.
In total, over 600 people have taken part in MHFAT with delegates attending from across football in Scotland at all levels from the men’s and women’s game.
The SPFL Trust is reporting a significant increase in demand for the course places; 20% of all attendees over the last four years have participated in the last four months, during the pandemic. The course provides vital training to people working within Scottish football and the communities in which clubs are based. The aims of the training is to:
- Equip staff with the skills to provide initial support
- Prevent the problem from getting worse
- Provide tools for giving comfort
In fulfilling these aims, participants of the training can meet the following objectives:
- Talking about suicide
- Recognising the signs of mental health problems
- Providing initial help and how to guide a person to appropriate help
Chris died by suicide in May 2016, after a period of depression that followed the end of his career after injury. He had played for Falkirk, Bradford City, Queen of the South, and Clyde. He memorably scored the winning goal for Falkirk against European giants Ajax in an international challenge match.
The Chris Mitchell Foundation was set-up by Chris’ dad and sister Laura following his death. The foundation aims to dispel the stigma associated with mental health in Scottish football
through education and by raising awareness.
‘Mitch: What happened next?’ is a sequel to ‘Mitch’ from February 2018 which featured six of Chris’ friends discussing his tragic passing and sharing their memories of him.
This new film picks up the story and explains the impact Chris’ legacy has had on Scottish football through Mental Health First Aid Training. It features Chris’ dad Philip, his friend Scott Arfield (who appeared in the original film), and three different training participants.
It comes at a time when Scotland is facing significant mental health problems. There were 833 suicides registered in Scotland in 2019, compared to 784 in 2018.
Over the last four years, there has been a worrying trend showing an increase in suicide. Men are still three times as likely as women to die by suicide, and men in their middle years (25-54) account for the largest group.
Mental Health First Aid Training
