Who are we?
Our Mission
To make a positive, lasting difference to the rugby community’s
mental health and wellbeing.
Our Vision
To save and improve lives, promote positive mental health and drive the conversation for everyone in the rugby community.
Our Goals
1.
Provide a support network that is readily available to members of the rugby community of all ages, backgrounds, orientation and at all levels of the game.
2.
To create an active Brave Mind community to support rugby clubs in partnership with leading mental health charities.
3.
Have mental health champions in every club in the UK and Ireland.
4.
To assist rugby governing bodies (RFU, SRU etc) in the creation of mental health modules for its Coaching Certification Programme.
5.
To hold regular Brave Mind events across the rugby game in the UK and Ireland.
What’s the challenge?
What is mental health?
We all have varying levels of mental health and just like our physical health, it needs looking after to ensure we stay well. Learning more about our mental health and ways to get support can empower us to thrive. It’s good, yet maybe hard, to share positive outcomes of the challenges 'one' has been through previously.
Mental health is about:
• How we feel, think, and behave
• How we cope with the ups and downs of everyday life
• How we feel about ourselves and our life
• How we see ourselves and our future
• How stress affects us
• How we deal with negative events
• Our self-esteem and confidence
What is the major cultural challenge in the MEN’S game?
Boys don’t cry. Brush yourself off. It’s only banter. Big girl’s blouse. Get over it. Suck it up. Don’t act like a girl. Be a man. Be strong. That’s not for boys. It’ll put hair on your chest. Boys will be boys.
You love sports! Boys and their toys. Let the girls do that. Chin up. Man up. Don’t be a pussy. Pull yourself together. It’s just locker room chat. That’s so gay. Loser. Lads lads lads. Down it!
Toxic Masculinity
A set of attitudes and ways of behaving stereotypically associated with or expected of men, regarded as having a negative impact on men and on society as a whole.
Conditioned to think men should be…
Bread Winner
Tough
Active
Strong
Successful
In Control
Self Reliant
Right
Bullies
Angry
Mean
Alphas
How this makes us behave…
No emotions
Stand up for ourselves
Don’t cry
Don’t ask for help
Yell at people
Bravado
Can take it
Take charge
Don’t back down
Swear
Laugh at others
Bully others
Feelings we’re covering up…
Confused
Angry
Scared
Alone
Ashamed
Stupid
Powerless
Hopeless
Worthless
Bullied
Let down
Stressed
Anxious
Unloved
