kooth

New partnership launched to improve young players' mental health

Northumberland FA's link with Kooth will provide access to services for 11-25 year olds

Northumberland FA and Kooth have teamed up to help improve the mental health and emotional wellbeing of all young people aged 11-25 involved in football across the region.

To kick-off the partnership, Kooth will equip Northumberland FA club and league staff with the essential skills needed to support children and young people with their mental health. This invaluable training will include recognising the signs that a young player is experiencing mental health concerns, and the best way to strike up a conversation, as well as, where and how to find confidential and non-judgemental professional help for mental health concerns.

Running in parallel with the training, young footballers, coaches and referees aged 11 to 25 will have access to Kooth (www.kooth.com) - a digital mental health platform providing free and confidential 24 hours a day, seven days a week support. There is no referral needed from a health professional, no waiting lists and no criteria to meet to qualify for support. Once registered, the service can be accessed using any internet connected device such as a laptop, smartphone or tablet.

Andrew Rose-Cook, Executive Officer at Northumberland FA added: “Football is enjoyed by huge numbers of young people – who get physical, mental and social benefits from taking part. We know that we can use this love of football to promote positive messages and help people who might be in need of support with their mental health and wellbeing.

“Teaming up with Kooth means we can point our young players to a safe space to seek any support they may need, which can be easily accessed via the technology and devices that they use day to day.”

Malcolm Connelly, Senior Kooth Engagement Lead, commented: “Asking for help with mental health concerns is not always easy - especially when you are a child or young person. It’s essential that a safe space is provided where they feel that they have time to talk and will be listened to; having somewhere they can share their worries when feeling anxious, without judgement and fear of stigma can really help.

“I have been involved in Grassroots football as a coach for over 20 years and also worked in a number of schools supporting children and young people. This is why I am so excited about this partnership. By working with Northumberland FA we can ensure young players involved in club and league football in the region feel supported. And are able to access the help they need, when they need it - no matter the issue or situation, Kooth is here to help."

Kooth’s team of fully trained and qualified practitioners and professional counsellors provide support at a range of levels. Counselling and wellbeing support sessions, including one-on-one sessions run from midday to 10pm on weekdays and from 6pm to 10pm at weekends. Appointments can be booked in advance or accessed as a drop-in instant text-based chats.

 

As well as counselling, Self-help articles, forums, and discussion boards are also available - with content that is age appropriate, pre-moderated and clinically approved. Kooth can also be used by children and young people to keep an online journal and track their wellbeing via an interactive goal tracker.

Kooth is accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and is the UK’s leading digital mental health platform.

 

END

 

About Kooth plc:

Kooth is the UK’s leading digital mental health platform. Our mission is to provide accessible and safe spaces for everyone to achieve better mental health. Our platform is clinically robust and accredited to provide a range of therapeutic support and interventions. All our services are predicated on easy access to make early intervention and prevention a reality.

 

Our four services are:

•        Kooth: for children and young persons

•        Kooth Student: for university and higher-education students

•        Kooth: for Adults

•        Kooth Work: for employees

 

Kooth is a fully safeguarded and pre-moderated community with a library of peer and professional created content, alongside access to experienced online counsellors. There are no thresholds for support and no waiting lists. Currently, Kooth sees over 4,000 logins a day.

 

For adults, Kooth operates across distinct locations and serves specific cohorts, including parents, teachers, victims of crime, and those who have suffered from or continue to experience domestic violence. It is also offered as a benefit by a number of corporate organisations delivering anonymous digital mental health support services to employees.

 

Kooth is the only digital mental health provider to hold a UK-wide accreditation from the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

 

In 2021, Kooth was named ‘Best Newcomer’ at the European Mediscience Awards, winner in the category of ‘Tech for Good’ at the UK Tech Awards and recognised as the ‘HealthTech Pioneer of the Year’ at the UK Business Tech Awards for its role in ‘Supporting the Nation's Mental health’.

 

You can find out more about our work here: northumberlandfa.com