Coaches undergo training in mental health wellness

YESTERDAY, 20 young people gathered at a local hotel for the Pamumvuri PVO and Grassroot Soccer Inc. (GRS) SKILLZ Coaches training programme, a ground-breaking initiative designed to promote mental wellness among adolescents.

The programme runs for nine days and will conclude on Saturday, after which participants will receive certificates.

GRS is offering technical assistance to their mental health partner in Zimbabwe, Pamumvuri.

The MindSKILLZ programme uses the universal language of sports to break down stigmas and provide supportive resources for young people to prioritise their mental health. By creating a safe environment, adolescents can build resilience, develop coping skills and connect with others who have similar experiences.

GRS Partnerships Programme Support Manager, Blessed Gumbi, said the training will assist in ensuring that the coaches are knowledgeable on how to deal with mental health-related issues.

Not only will the coaches benefit, but also the adolescents targeted by the MindSKILLZ programme and the greater Zimbabwe community.

“We are having a mental health training for peer educators we call coaches because they are peer mentors who young people look up to and view as positive role models.

“They are undergoing training in mental health and intervention, which we call MindSKILLZ, a preventive and promotive intervention that aims at promoting good mental health among young people.

“The coaches are going to benefit individually because they will know how to cope with different mental health challenges. They will be able to share that knowledge with friends and communities. So, these young coaches are going out there to become game changers of their lives, as well as of immediate families, communities and ultimately improve the mental health condition of our young people in the country and in the process learn more about coping mechanisms,” said Gumbi.

The coaches in training will be knowledgeable in handling mental health-related issues and be able to raise awareness about challenges such as depression, stress and anxiety, predominantly among young people between the ages of 10 to 19, both in and out of school.

In Zimbabwe, one in every four people struggles with a mental health condition, making it crucial for young people to reach out to other young people who understand their feelings.

The MindSKILLZ programme aims to build mental resilience among adolescents and reach over 1 000 young people in Bulawayo, with a 12-month plan to scale up and cover all 10 provinces of the country.

The training programme serves as an opportunity for coaches to become role models and game-changers in the community by sharing accurate information on mental health, with sports as the cornerstone of the programme.

The GRS trainer is pleased with the positive response from the SKILLZ Coaches being trained, who are grasping the concept and will become caring coaches.

The programme teaches valuable life skills such as resiliency, hard work, courage, trust and teamwork, providing a comprehensive approach to mental health education for young people.

It concludes on Saturday with coaches receiving certificates, leaving them better equipped to become game-changers in their communities, spreading mental wellness among Zimbabwe’s next generation. — @brandon_malvin.