Coping Through Football

Coping Through Football is a ground-breaking project that demonstrates how two sports charities can work with the statutory health service to create a sustainable recovery model for one of society's most marginalised groups, the long term mentally ill.

The project aims to improve the wellbeing of every participant so that they are more able to take charge of their own lives and make a positive contribution to society. It aims to take the end user on a journey from secondary care to the relative normality of primary care. So, as well as exploiting football's capacity for bringing people together and reducing social exclusion, the activity sessions are used as part of their recovery programme.

The idea is to help improve community mental health services and in doing so provide a model of best practice that can be implemented across the county.

Since the project started in May 2007 over 100 service users have participated in the twice weekly football training sessions.

Coping Through Football so far has helped participants:

• Increase their physical activity levels
• Improve confidence and self-esteem
• Interact more effectively with others
• Integrate back into mainstream lifestyle

The project has been cited as an example of best practice in the Department of Health's "Be Active, Be Healthy" physical activity plan.