Kick off the Conversation is a community program by Football West and Healthway, designed to promote mental health and wellbeing in the football community. It raises awareness, provides educational resources and empowers wellbeing champions to lead key conversations.
By participating, clubs gain the knowledge and tools to support their members, foster a positive environment and respond effectively to mental health challenges.
Why should your club get involved in the Kick off the Conversation Program?
- Foster an inclusive, supportive, and nurturing club culture
- Build a positive reputation within the sport
- Be recognised for good sportsmanship
What does the program involve?
- Mental health education sessions
- Appointment of a Wellbeing Officer
- Hosting a Think Mental Health Round
- Promoting mental health messages
- Developing and implementing a mental health and wellbeing policy
- Review of existing club policies and procedures
- Critical Incident Response planning
- Protect our game - developing respect
Participating in the Program
Clubs can take proactive steps to support the mental health and wellbeing of their members by working towards the following key actions.
The Wellbeing Coordinator is responsible for championing mental health initiatives at the club
Actionable items:
- Appointment of a Wellbeing Officer
- Announce Wellbeing Officer appointment on social media and/or club newsletter/email
- Develop a job description
- Create a list of activities or initiatives the club will introduce (or continue to run) that support the mental health and wellbeing of its members
Resources:
Role of Mental Health Champion - Infographic
Mental Health Champion Posters (page 3)
Role of Mental Health Champion - Communication Template
Wellbeing Officer Job Description
Implementing the Mental Health Champion Role - Tipsheet
Mental Health Champion Strategy
Education is an integral part of developing a greater understanding around mental health and wellbeing practices that clubs can implement to better support members. Throughout the program, clubs will be offered opportunities to be involved in or host workshops and seminars that provide these educational opportunities.
Actionable items:
- Attend mental health awareness sessions designed for Weelbeing Officers, Club Administrators and/or club volunteers
- Football West will invite club members to attend mental health sessions. See upcoming events at the Events Section below.
- Club to host a mental health session for club members using facilitator
- Helping Minds have available free and interactive presentations focusing on raising awareness about mental health and reducing stigma assocaited with mental health challenges. Download the Helping Minds flyer to find out more and book a session at your club.
- Bouncing Back Program, Richmind WA - Bouncing Back is a unique, trauma-informed course designed to provide sporting clubs with tailored insights. It aims to open conversations about mental health, helping to identify, understand, support and destigmatise the challenges that may exist within your club. Additionally, it covers bullying and conflict resolution relating to the various cohorts (players, spectators) within your club to help align club culture with your code of conduct.
- The Regional Men's Health - Working with Warriors is a series of educational sessions that aim to equip everyone with knowledge to better understand some of the logic that underpins masculine behaviour and how it relates to blokes physical, mental and social / spiritual wellbeing. Check their available funding HERE.
- Promote the session on social media and email to members
- Club Changer-certified only opportunity. Football West are inviting 10 clubs to participate in wellbeing workshops to support girls 12-14 yrs old, in collaboration with Gaining Ground WA - a leading women-led organisation that equips young leaders with tools to stay in sport and lead. For more information and to submit your expression of interest by 2 June at the latest, please visi: https://forms.footballwest.com.au/gaining-ground/
Resource:
To ensure the integration of mental health and wellbeing practices, the adoption of a Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy will assist the club to set clear intentions and ensure these strategies are continually implemented.
Actionable items:
- Either adopt the ‘Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy’ provided by FW or develop your own policy
- Review existing policies to ensure they all support positive mental health and wellbeing.
- Reviewing policies that reference the provision of or inclusion of alcohol, to ensure that practices support good health.
- Review player, official and spectator codes of conduct to outline the values of the club in supporting mental health and wellbeing of all people involved in the game.
- Ensure the policies are readily available for club members to access in times of need (both physical documents and soft copies online.) Upload the policy to the club's website and email the link to all your members
- Announce and promote the policies to club members
Resources:
As clubs become more equipped with the tools and resources to support the mental health and wellbeing of their members, they should host events to give members the opportunity to connect and support one another.
How your club can get involved:
- Host a Club BBQ or Event
Create a relaxed environment where members can socialise and check in with one another. - Share the Purpose
Take a moment during your event to speak about the importance of mental health and encourage members to look out for each other.
- Download Mental Health Event - Script Guide - Spread the Word
Share key messages across your digital platforms to reduce stigma and promote positive mental health practices.- Download social media assets and posters
- Display Think Mental Health branding. Clubs that didn’t receive a branding kit in 2024, can email partnerships@footballwest.com.au to request a kit, which includes one mesh banner and two aprons.
- Invite a Facilitator
Consider hosting a mental health awareness session at your club. These organisations can assist:
If your club needs financial support to engage a facilitator, please email partnerships@footballwest.com.au with details of your proposed event.
- Implement a Wellbeing Policy
Formalise your club’s commitment to mental health and make it available to members.
Register early and receive a $100 food voucher
The first 30 clubs to register for the Think Mental Health Round will receive a $100 food voucher to help support their event.
Click HERE to register your club.
Other Resouces:
Leading a successful Mental and Wellbeing session
Mental Health and Wellbeing Events Suggestions - Tipsheet
Mental Health Event - Script Guide
How to check in on someone - Poster
Trauma Awareness Session
Online Webinar
Date: Monday, 13 October 2025
Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Who should attend: Club admin staff and volunteers, wellbeing officers, team managers and coaches
Presenter: Paul Peacock, Richmind WA (formerly Richmond Wellbeing)
Cost: Free
Register HERE
Promoting key messages from the Think Mental Health campaign can assist clubs to reinforce the healthy behaviours they are encouraging club members to adopt.
Actionable items:
- Promote key mental health messages on club's digital channels regularly
- Display mental health posters at the club
Resources:
Social media tiles
Kick off the Conversation posters
Having a clear plan in place is essential for clubs to effectively manage a critical incident. The Critical Incident Response Plan provides the Critical Response Team with a structured guide to respond decisively, efficiently and compassionately. Its purpose is to safeguard the mental health and wellbeing of your club in the aftermath of a critical incident.
This plan is activated when your club experiences an extraordinary and unpredictable event within your community—one that has the potential to cause trauma and significantly impact the mental health and wellbeing of your members.
Actionable Items:
- Assign a Critical Response Team
- Critical Response Team reviews the Critical Incident Resources
Resources:
Critical Incident Response Plan
Critical Incident Response Overview
Critical Incident Communication
Good nutrition fuels both body and mind. Healthway’s Fuel to Go & Play® and Think Mental Health campaigns promote the link between healthy food choices and mental wellbeing—helping us feel and perform our best, on and off the field.
Fuel to Go & Play® works with community venues and sporting clubs to create healthier food environments.
What’s included:
2 hours of online training
Assistance to develop a healthy eating pledge or policy
Guidance on building a healthier menu
Promotional materials for healthy food and drink options
Tools, fact sheets and ongoing support
Creating a healthier club environment is easy—start with Fuel to Go & Play®.
Find out more HERE
Healthy Sports Program
Sporting clubs can apply for funding of up to $4,000 to support simple healthy eating initiatives.
- Up to $2,000 is available even if you don’t have a canteen or kiosk facility
- Up to $4,000 is available if your club has a canteen/kiosk
By providing clubs with funding and on-the-ground support, the grant hepls clubs create environments that support their members to fuel up with healthy food and drinks when playing sports.
Find out more HERE
Good Sports supports sporting clubs to reduce harms from alcohol and other drugs – fostering a healthier, safer and more family friendly environment for all. The program will strengthen your club policies and practices around alcohol consumption, sales and management, illegal drug use, safe transport, safe celebrations and mental health support.
Objectives of the Good Sports program
- Guide clubs to develop, commit to and maintain policies and practices that prevent alcohol and other drug (AOD) harm.
- Build knowledge and confidence to prevent or reduce risk of AOD harm and how to access help.
- Prevent or reduce risky alcohol consumption and behaviours.
- Increase awareness of mental health supports and how to access help.
- Prevent or reduce children’s exposure to alcohol use in sport.
- Contribute to the creation of a safer and inclusive environment for members.
- Build diversified and sustainable funding to prevent reliance on alcohol sponsorship.
Find out more HERE
Fostering a sense of belonging for all members—including players, officials, volunteers, and the wider community—starts with mutual respect for everyone involved in the game. As part of this program, clubs are encouraged to actively promote respect for match officials, particularly referees.
By championing respectful attitudes and behaviours, clubs and their members can help support the mental health and wellbeing of those who make the game possible.
Actionable Items:
Acknowledge and promote the club’s commitment to the Football West Three Strike Policy, ensuring members understand and embrace it.
Actively encourage and reinforce behaviours that foster respect for game officials, including referees, among players and spectators.
Resources:
The WA Sport Awards celebrate excellence in sport and recognise the outstanding achievements of West Australian sportspeople and sporting clubs.
By championing mental health, wellbeing, and healthy eating, your club could be eligible for nomination in the annual Healthway Healthy Club Award.
Details on eligibility and the nomination process will be available here later in the year.
Need Help Now?
If you feel someone is at an immediate risk, or is in a life-threatening situation – call triple zero (000).
Everyone in community sport can help promote and support the mental health and wellbeing of others.
A General Practitioner (GP) can be a great starting point if you or someone you know has a mental health concern and is not sure where to go for help. Visit The Mental Health Commission and Think Mental Health for more information on accessing GP assistance for mental health and wellbeing issues.
Click HERE to access the True Sport Link Directory, which provides a sample of some organisations that may be suitable for community sport groups.