Connect & collaborate

This piece helps you to link and work in partnership with different people and organisations who can support your mental health work.

Connecting and collaborating with others can provide you with expertise, a place to signpost and provide potential fundraising opportunities.

Connect with mental health organisations

Working with mental health organisations can be beneficial as they can provide:

Information about mental health problems.

Information on what support looks like and how you can provide it.

Resources and training.

Mental health expertise and signposting should further support be required.

Fundraising opportunities which may also raise awareness of mental health across your organisation.

Guide 1 of our Mental Health and Physical Activity Toolkit provides further information. See the case study of England Boxing working in collaboration with Mind.

Oxfordshire Mind and Active Oxfordshire (Boxing)

After being inspired by their experience of boxing, staff at Oxfordshire Mind developed a successful programme for young people blending a mental health workshop with boxing skills.

Collaboration will look different for different organisations. It may mean asking a mental health organisation to provide talks and training or forming a partnership to fundraise, raise awareness and/or promote mental health initiatives.Share knowledge and information
It can be beneficial to share your knowledge and information with other organisations as well as to learn from them.Other organisations may be further ahead or behind you in your journey to embed mental health but their experience may still help you. Speak to us if you would like help to be connected with other organisations.

Connect and engage with people who may not usually participate in your activity

You could consider creating a programme that aims to support and improve the mental health of your participants. This can be an excellent way to both engage people who may not usually participate (see “Integrate Mental Health”) and enable you to play an active role in helping to support people with their mental health.

England Athletics developed their #RunAndTalk programme with affiliated clubs and RunTogether groups. As part of the process, the clubs appoint Mental Health Champions to coordinate and support the running groups. England Athletics’ website provides further information about this programme, or you can read more about it here or watch the video below.

Click on the play button to watch participants talk about their experiences of the #RunAndTalk programme

Notts County Foundation who, following the success of their men’s On the Ball initiative, created Goals for Life.

The project harnessed the power of physical activity through co-produced workshops to improve the health and wellbeing of young people aged 10 to 18.

“The course has helped my confidence grow significantly, especially regarding doing sports and participating in team activities.”

Participant from the Goals for Life programme (Notts County Foundation)

My organisation is connecting in the following ways:
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We currently share information about our mental health strategy with other organisations in our sector.
We are working with local mental health organisations to support our people with information and resources.
We are collaborating with mental health organisations to support the physical activities we deliver.
We run physical activity programmes specifically for people with mental health problems.
We are interested in developing a programme of physical activity sessions specifically for people with mental health problems.
We are interested in being part of a network within our sector to share and discuss ideas around mental health.

Make a commitment

Track your journey

Involve people meaningfully

Integrate mental health

Be person- centred

Connect & collaborate

Improve knowledge & confidence

Champion mental health

Spot, support & signpost