Badminton Scotland – SAMH Mental Health Charter for Physical Activity and Sport

Practice Profile
Implementing organisation:
Badminton Scotland – National Federation; affiliated clubs and communities
Geographical scope:
United Kingdom – Scotland
Implementation period:
Ongoing
Primary beneficiaries:
Badminton Scotland, affiliated clubs, coaches, volunteers and local communities.
Practice overview
Badminton Scotland has signed the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) Mental Health Charter for Physical Activity and Sport and encourages its affiliated clubs to sign the club and community version of the Charter.
The initiative promotes the message “It’s okay not to be okay” and recognises that sport can have both positive and negative effects on mental wellbeing. In particular, mental health can be affected by factors such as competition pressure or injury.
Badminton Scotland supports clubs with an e-learning mental health module, SAMH guidance materials and clear signposting to specialist support organisations. RS4MH VCoP Good Practices updat…
Core components
1. Federation-level commitment that is cascaded to affiliated clubs and communities.
2. Club-level mental health commitment through the SAMH Charter.
3. Recognition that sport can protect but also negatively affect mental wellbeing.
4. E-learning mental health module for clubs and those involved in sport.
5. Practical SAMH guides and resources.
6. Clear signposting to specialist mental health support services. RS4MH VCoP Good Practices updat…
Relevance to youth mental health and racket sports
This practice demonstrates how a sports federation can turn mental health from a general principle into a visible organisational commitment at both federation and club level.
For RS4MH, it provides a practical example of how the RS4MH Policy Recommendation Guidelines could be translated into a short, accessible charter that clubs can sign, display and use as a basis for their mental health policies and practices.
It also supports the RS4MH ambition of helping clubs become community sports mental health hubs, where young people, coaches and families know that mental health is part of the sporting environment. RS4MH VCoP Good Practices updat…
Transfer and adaptation potential
High.
The model could be adapted into a simple RS4MH Club Mental Health Charter that participating clubs commit to.
For example, an RS4MH charter could include commitments to:
– create a safe and supportive sporting environment;
– promote open conversations about mental health;
– train or identify a club mental health contact;
– provide clear information about available support services;
– recognise the potential impact of competition, injury and pressure;
– ensure young athletes know where and from whom they can seek help.
The original document specifically proposes that a one-page RS4MH club charter could first be signed by the 30 pilot clubs and later by the 60 clubs targeted after the project. RS4MH VCoP Good Practices updat…
Reference sources
1. Badminton Scotland – Mental Health & Wellbeing
2. Badminton Scotland – Badminton Scotland signs Scotland’s Mental Health Charter RS4MH VCoP Good Practices updat…
VCoP Reflection
What should be included in an RS4MH Mental Health Charter for clubs, and what commitments could your organisation realistically make to create a safer and more supportive environment for young athletes?