Bengaluru : Bengaluru FC has launched a mental health care programme for their team. They decided to bring on board Mental Health Professional for the players and the entire staff, and targets to raise awarness through ‘Care Around The Corner’.
On the occassion of World Mental Health Day, Bengaluru FC announced the launch of Care Around The Corner an initiative to raise awareness on mental health and provide the players and staff with on-call professional help through the season, on Saturday ( 10 October).
This programme entailed bringing on board a professional mental health expert who would conduct regular sessions with the first team and staff, along with sessions for the academy teams. The players and staff could also avail the expert for one-on-one sessions anytime via video calls.
The club partners Rangers FC’s health experts would conduct the workshops with the team players and the staff. Besides the players and the staff, the club would also create awarness about mental well being among others.
Mandar Tamhane, CEO of the club said on this occassion,” Mental health in sport is such an important conversation, but it’s also one that we don’t have as much as we should in Indian sport. We felt a definite need to add this aspect to the team for this season, and every season going forward. Care Around The Corner is a very important step we are taking to ensure that our players and staff fully understand the importance of mental wellness as well as have access to professional help whenever they feel the need arise. Also, the circumstances surrounding the season will begin to get harder with every passing day, and we feel the programme can play a big role now, more than ever.
We will continue to grow this programme with small steps.”
Tamhane also said,“We have been in constant touch with our friends at Rangers who have a fantastic player care programme in place. And having them lend their expertise to Care Around The Corner is yet another example of how beneficial our partnership has been.”
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who was previously very vocal about the importance of Mental Health issues, supported the initiative and said,“I think it’ll be great. I want every player and staff member to use this as an opportunity to become better and have a better understanding about your own self, because as men and as football players we are always told to be strong and not feel. I think it is important to have a safe and a non-judgmental space in a professional club so that players can open up and look after themselves and those around them.”
