Following the success of Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation’s ‘Big Talks for Little People’ now embraced by nearly 300 primary schools, the pilot of the expanded program ‘Big Talks for Little Sports People’ has recently been launched with the assistance of a $30,000 grant from the Beyond Bank Foundation.
Originally developed for schools within an evidence-based framework, the youth mental health education program was expanded into junior sporting clubs to help children build emotional literacy, resilience, and respect.
Through engaging animations and structured lesson plans, the program supports coaches and teachers to guide conversations, strengthen mental health literacy and become trusted adults that children can turn to when facing life’s challenges.
Breakthrough’s Partnerships and Philanthropy Manager Brooke Williams said that by expanding the program to sporting clubs with Beyond Bank’s support, it’s helped children feel safer while also learning to better understand their mental health.
“The idea is that kids have a third key trusted adult in their lives, someone like a coach, beyond their parents and teachers,” she said.
“Sport is a powerful platform for those conversations.”
The other collaborators on the ‘Big Talks for Little Sports People’ program are:
- Flinders University, creators and owners of the program
- Little Heroes Foundation, co-funder, and
- Monkeystack, the team who created the animation.
