Mental Wellbeing Provision in Western Australian Sport

Abstract

Sport offers an opportunity through which individuals can engage within society as participants undertaking a meaningful pursuit, increasing self-mastery, enhancing social support and decreasing social isolation. Consequently, sport can play an important role in sustaining wellbeing and in particular mental health. In July 2020, Healthway in partnership with SportWest, commissioned researchers at Monash University to build on key findings from their Mental Wellbeing in Victorian Sport project with the intent to help inform the development of a framework to guide and strengthen mental health prevention initiatives across community sport in Western Australia. With input from sporting organisations across the State at both an association and grassroots level the aim of this research is to generate a more comprehensive understanding of the work being undertaken to support positive mental health in community sports contexts across Western Australia. Through a comprehensive mapping of existing support resources and end-user needs, the research will inform future strategies aimed at promoting mental health across the community sport sector and support sporting associations and community sport clubs to access the types of initiatives and programs most relevant to their needs.