As part of SportWest’s commitment to building mentally healthy sporting environments, staff from Netball WA recently completed a two-day Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) training facilitated by Paul Peacock from Richmind WA. This initiative, supported through the True Sport program, reflects SportWest’s ongoing efforts to strengthen mental health literacy across the WA sport sector.
The training provided Netball WA staff with practical tools to identify, understand, and respond to mental health challenges in young people within their roles and communities. From recognising signs of anxiety and depression to responding to critical incidents, participants gained confidence in applying the MHFA Action Plan (ALGEE) in real-world scenarios.
Paul’s facilitation was both informative and compassionate, creating a safe space for open discussion and learning. His sport-specific examples helped participants connect the training to their day-to-day work, whether supporting athletes, volunteers, or colleagues.
Jo Smith Netball WA Stakeholder Manager said, "Physical activity is a fundamental component of maintaining positive mental health, and sports play a vital role in providing a psychologically safe and enjoyable environment that fosters personal development and social connection. Through sport, young people build meaningful relationships within their community—particularly with coaches, who are often well placed to identify changes in behaviour or provide support when a young person reaches out.
Given the importance of mental health, and the fact that our SSA is largely youth-based, the opportunity to provide Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) training to our staff was invaluable. Paul from Richmind WA was an excellent facilitator who created a safe space for learning, reflection, and open discussion."
This YMHFA training is part of a broader strategy by SportWest and True Sport to:
- Support member organisations in embedding mental wellbeing into their culture.
- Provide access to accredited training that builds capacity across all levels of sport.
- Foster psychologically safe environments where mental health is understood, respected, and supported.
Attendees left the training not only with new skills, but also with a renewed sense of responsibility and empowerment to be mental health allies in their sport.
SportWest congratulates Netball WA on their commitment to mental wellbeing and looks forward to continuing to support member organisations through initiatives like YMHFA, regional workshops, and True Sport presentations to club and community.
