IRFU Partners With Jigsaw To Promote Youth Mental Health

To mark World Mental Health Day the IRFU, as part of its Spirit of Rugby Programme, is delighted to partner with Jigsaw and Sport Ireland Coaching to pilot a youth mental health education programme for coaches and volunteers working with age-grade players.

The ‘One Good Coach’ online module aims to increase knowledge around mental health so that coaches and volunteers can support young people’s mental health and promote positive messages of well-being among teammates.

Coaches and volunteers working with age-grade players are being invited to take part in the pilot project that includes a survey before and after the coaches complete the module.

The research will be carried out by UCD in order to monitor the impact the module has on coaching behaviours and their relationship with age-grade players. This initiative is supported by Sport Ireland Coaching.

The IRFU takes a player-centred approach to rugby, especially in the areas of youth coaching and coach education programmes, putting player welfare at the centre of all we do.

Spirit of Irish Rugby Manager Anne Marie Hughes said,

“How we coach is as important as what we coach and this module highlights the important role a coach can play in assisting age-grade players develop resilience, self-confidence and better coping skills, due to the unique relationship they have through rugby coaching. By taking a player centred approach to all aspects of the game we promote Respect and Inclusivity, two important values of our game”.

With all the challenges young people now face having a One Good Coach will promote a positive safe environment for our young players to flourish.

For more information on the work of Jigsaw, the National Centre for Youth Mental Health visit: https://jigsaw.ie/

In 2019 the Ireland Men’s 7s squad worked with Jigsaw to deliver a series of rugby and mental health days for teenage boys in youth centres in Dublin.

The programme delivered a six-week Sevens rugby introductory course run in tandem with complimentary mental well-being modules delivered by Jigsaw. The programme was run at the Poppintree Youth Project in Ballymun, Core Youth Service om Inchicore, the Youth Resource Centre in Finglas, and Rialto Youth Project in Rialto.