⚽ 31% OF MEN OPT FOR FOOTBALL TO HELP WITH THEIR MENTAL HEALTH ⚽

BACK OF THE NET: NIVEA MEN TACKLE THE STIGMA AROUND MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH

With International Men’s Day on the horizon, new research from NIVEA MEN¹ revealed 31% of men opt for football as a way to manage their mental health as opposed to talking to friends, and nearly half (45%) of men aged 18-24 strongly agree that football is a great way to strengthen male communication.

NIVEA MEN wanted to put this combination into a league of its own by hosting their first-ever training camp, NIVEA MEN Head Skills Academy giving grassroots football captains the tools to help start and maintain conversations both on and off the pitch.

Birmingham City FC captain, Troy Deeney shared his own experiences at the training camp to raise awareness of football being a great way to maintain mental fitness and was joined by up-and-coming Birmingham City FC star, Jobe Bellingham to co-captain a 6-a-side football match.

NIVEA MEN TOGETHER WITH TALK CLUB BRING ELEVEN GRASSROOT FOOTBALLERS TOGETHER TO HELP START THE CONVERSATION AROUND MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH ON AND OFF THE PITCH

NIVEA MEN welcomed eleven grassroot footballers to Powerleague Stadium in Birmingham on Wednesday 9^th November for their first-ever NIVEA MEN Head Skills Academy training day alongside Birmingham City FC’s captain, Troy Deeney, and men’s mental health charity, Talk Club. With an aim to get footballers to see the value in communicating with their teammates both on and off the pitch, the pioneering academy taught attending footballers the skills to incorporate mental fitness into their regular football practice. As part of the training day, Talk Club provided mental fitness training, based on their Talk & Move programme, drawing on the insight that sports and football are effective means through which men feel comfortable communicating.

To help foster a positive and supportive team dynamic, the training included specific fitness drills to take back to their grassroot football teams and incorporate into their practice. NIVEA MEN and Talk Club opened up the floor to Troy Deeney, to answer questions about his own mental health journey and career to date, as well as how he incorporates mental fitness into his and his teams daily routine.

Recent research by NIVEA MEN¹ revealed 31% of men opt for football as a way to manage their mental health as opposed to talking to friends, and nearly half (45%) of men aged 18-24 strongly agree that football is a great way to strengthen male communication¹.

Troy Deeney highlighted the importance of his role as a captain, representing a leader both on and off the pitch helping bring men closer together and promote a strong team dynamic. Insights and personal experiences were also shared with the selected grassroot footballers to help frame the narrative around encouraging men to talk about their feelings. Jobe Bellingham, Birmingham City FC’s star in the making, appeared with Troy to further relay the key messaging that the strongest teams talk and exploring your mental fitness is multi-generational.

Birmingham City FC captain Troy Deeney said on the day: “It’s great that NIVEA MEN is bringing grassroot footballers from all different backgrounds together today and encouraging them to genuinely open up about their mental health. I feel like today has created a new group of friends and family and that this is just the beginning for the Head Skills Academy campaign.” 

The Head Skills Academy is the second phase of the NIVEA MEN Strength In Numbers campaign, which is helping more men to check in with their feelings. As part of the set of tools for the footballers to take away, Talk Club believes that by simply asking ‘How are you? Out of 10?’ could change someone’s life; they are passionate that this should be a normal part of our everyday routine to help support a healthy mental fitness routine. This messaging was utilised throughout the NIVEA MEN Head Skills Academy training camp to help the grassroot footballers open up and utilise moving forwards.

Emily Marcham, Senior Brand Manager for NIVEA MEN, says: “It’s been fantastic to host our first ever event of this kind, bringing men from all walks of life together to showcase the importance of talking and equip them with the skills to start a conversation.”

The training camp finished with a 6 a-side football match to put into practice some of Talk Club’s training tips with both Troy and Jobe positioned as the captain of each team.

One of the attending captains, youth worker Abdul Rahman, said of the training day:   

“We do a lot with our kids and supporting them with their mental health through our youth work, so seeing what NIVEA MEN are doing and how they care, especially reaching out to more grassroots communities like ours, is perfect. Mental health and mental fitness is a big thing which our kids don’t speak about and something we try to work on, so to meet and sit down with heroes they look up to like Troy Deeney and Jobe Bellingham, and hear about their own experiences, is really eye-opening. The training together with Talk Club has given us so much to take away.”

Gavin Thorpe, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Talk Club, says: “Checking in with yourself and those around you with a simple question… How are you? Out of 10? helps us all stay connected and supported and build upon our mental fitness that ultimately will prevent ill mental health.”

Additional stats from the NIVEA MEN survey revealed:

·       Reaching out has negative connotations in men’s minds with many equating vulnerabilities with weakness – 41% of males believe football is a great way to strengthen male communication

·       Nearly half (47%) of men said they feel less comfortable asking other men about their struggles and 44% have never opened up to someone about how they are feeling

·       Two thirds of men believe playing football with their friends improves their mental health

·       Nearly half of men surveyed (47%) believe playing football is a chance to bond with friends, whilst 31% of men opt for football as a way to deal with their mental health as opposed to talking to friends.

NIVEA MEN is committed to driving real change for men’s mental fitness by championing a simple way of thinking that uses numbers to help more men and boys talk about their feelings and ultimately help care for their mental health.

It’s important to recognise that if you or someone you know is struggling to cope, they should call Samaritans for free on 116 123 (UK and ROI) or contact other sources of support, such as those listed on the NHS’ help for suicidal thoughts webpage. Support is available round the clock, every single day of the year, providing a safe place for anyone struggling to cope, whoever they are, however they feel, whatever life has dealt them.