New funding for Changing Room Extra Time
Written By SPFL Trust Media Centre
A programme which uses football to promote mental health and wellbeing has received additional funding from Scottish Government.
The Changing Room – Extra Time initiative has been awarded £100,000 for a fourth year.
It builds on The Changing Room – a 12-week programme which takes place at football stadiums across Scotland and supports men to open up as they participate in walking football games, stadium tours, pitch-side walks and talks from a motivational speaker.
Extra Time aims to give people the chance to speak in more depth about their mental wellbeing and explore areas which are giving them particular challenges or concerns.
The programme is delivered by SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health) in partnership with the SPFL Trust and associated community trusts at Aberdeen (AFC Community Trust), Rangers (Rangers Charity Foundation), Heart of Midlothian (Big Hearts) and Hibernian (Hibernian Community Foundation) football clubs.
Kyle Hewitt, 37, from Dyce attended Changing Room Extra Time at Aberdeen FC and said: “I grew up aware of mental health and its potential impacts on people and those around them because of my own experience.
“But sometimes I didn’t feel like I had the ability to face the world. I had low moments as a parent and a husband, I wasn’t always nice to be around, and I could be hyper-critical of myself.
“Then I embarked on a journey through Extra Time with like-minded men and amazing facilitators from SAMH. I realised I had been deflecting, avoiding and bottling things up.
“I was able to give myself credit for what I was doing. I also became more resilient, and better at creating positive habits and finding ways to change my outlook and mind-set. I have thrived as a result.”