Protecting mental health of young athletes
EDUCATIONAL TOOLKIT FOR SPORT FEDERATIONS developed by ENGSO Youth Young Delegate Laur Amanolesei.
The toolkit “Protecting mental health of young athletes” targets a wide range of people and institutions: from national sport federations to European institutions. The toolkit cultivates an educational and healthy path in elite sports from a young age.
Being a ‘navigator’ is purely based on education and how young athletes manifest empathy through direct action (seeing their peers being treated badly then reporting; it’s quite a courageous thing to do when you live in a bubble). That’s why education is at the core of this research.
The toolkit is divided into 5 parts (days):
DAY 1: Ecological system model for elite athletes’ mental health
DAY 2: Discovering a non-athlete identity which assures a balanced sports life, preparing the individual elite athlete for life outside competitive sport
DAY 3: Early detection and identification by navigators
DAY 4: Assessment of athletes (by mental health advisor) –> referral to a qualified practitioner –> individual work phase with specialists
DAY 5: Guidance programs for athletes who manifest the desire to return to competitive sport after recovering from mental illness
Laur Amanolesei is an Erasmus Mundus Master Student on Sports Ethics and Integrity. Currently focussing on the ‘rhizomatic’ connections between mental health, restorative justice and civil rights issues in sports. Careful observer of the significance of lived experiences in the construction of post-elite athlete identity.