In a milestone moment, mental health has become a core part of CIMSPA’s occupational professional standards.

Four mental health knowledge areas have been embedded into CIMSPA’s Coach and Swimming Teacher standards: understanding mental health and wellbeing; maintaining professional boundaries; supporting people experiencing mental health problems and prioritising self-care. 

The standards have been developed by CIMSPA, with lived experience input from mental health charity, Mind, and the Movement and Mental Health Alliance.

Rachel Hooper, head of qualifications and training development at British Rowing, says: “Understanding mental wellbeing for athletes and coaches is an integral part of our new qualification curriculum and this licensed content has been invaluable in ensuring we use modern and credible information to support coaches. Partnering with subject matter experts means we can be confident we are sharing the right messaging within our learning offer.”  

The licensed mental health content for sport and physical activity courses and qualifications can be ‘lifted and shifted’ into courses and qualifications in whatever format NGBs and training providers require. 

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson welcomes the move: “It’s encouraging to see the progress being made across sport and physical activity to embed mental health. Nearly a decade on from the Duty of Care in Sport review, it’s wonderful to see the review continuing to have a lasting legacy, with recommendations around mental health and wellbeing now coming to fruition across the sector. This growing commitment to wellbeing represents an important step forward for everyone involved in sport.”

A panel at last week’s Elevate conference discussed how to support members with their mental health. Among the key takeaways were that there needs to be an upskilling of staff so they know how to support people living with mental health problems, as this is already happening.