In the lead up to Children’s Mental Health Week, the West Ham United Foundation hosted various player appearances in partner schools in east London.
First team players Vladímir Coufal, Conor Coventry and Divin Mubama visited Jo Richardson Community School, meanwhile Angelo Ogbonna and Michail Antonio and Academy of Football players Keenan Appiah-Forson and Kamarai Swyer visited Bobby Moore Academy.
Taking place from the 6-12 February, Children’s Mental Health Week theme for 2023 is ‘Let’s Connect’. In other words, promoting health and wellbeing by encouraging young people to connect with others in rewarding and meaningful ways.
Through the Players’ Project, the Club was able to support the initiative by inviting the players to join children from schools partnered with the Foundation through the Premier League Inspires and Community Hub School programmes.
During the sessions, the students were able to listen to the players discuss the ways in which they regularly make use of their support networks, whether that be through friends, family or members of staff.
“If you don’t speak out about your problems, they’re only going to keep building in your mind,” Mubama told the year nines at Jo Richardson Community School. “You’re already dealing with so much already at school, homework, getting into trouble.
“If you let it build up, it’ll just keep hitting you, so I think it’s massively important to talk to someone about what you’re going through.”
Similarly, a stone’s throw away from the London Stadium, a Q&A was taking place at Bobby Moore Academy. Club vice-skipper Ogbonna explained why he was pleased to be able to take the time to visit the school and raise awareness of such an important cause.
“It’s very good to be able to speak to the children,” the former Italy international stated. “We hope to be able to inspire this new generation to have dreams, to keep believing and chase something, especially when everything is very hard for them right now. It’s really good to get them thinking about these things!"
Each player took the time to give detailed answers regarding the mental challenges they face both on and off the pitch, drawing on their own experiences and offering meaningful advice to the children in attendance.
Programme Development Officer at West Ham United Foundation, Ross Williams stated: “It was fantastic to be joined by four of our players at Bobby Moore Academy.
“Mental health and wellbeing are so important and to have our players talking openly about the importance of this area both in and out of sport is amazing.
“We often talk about these subjects to our participants, but for the players to use their status as role models to expand further on this is fantastic as it helps to tackle the stigma that may exist around this subject area.”
To learn more about Children's Mental Health Week campaign and access Place2Be’s resources, visit their website at childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk.
For more information on the Foundation’s Premier League Inspires and Community Hub School programmes, please contact Foundation Education Manager Cormac Hanrahan at [email protected].
