November 12, 2015

Organised sports support positive mental health

The University of Wollongong (UOW) researcher who found that children who drop out of organised sports have a far greater risk of mental health problems will present the next ‘Uni in the Brewery’ on Wednesday, 18 November.

Dr Stewart Vella, from the Early Start Research Institute, is investigating how involvement in youth sports promotes wellbeing and prevents mental health problems, after finding that children (particularly young male adolescents) who drop out of community sport are at a 10 to 20 per cent increased risk of developing mental health problems.

As part of this research, Dr Vella will work with local Illawarra sporting clubs to improve mental health literacy and develop a toolkit to help support young members grappling with depression and suicidal thoughts.

This important, community-oriented research program, funded to the tune of almost $2 million by the Movember Foundation and UOW Global Challenges, has the potential to change lives and help arrest the alarming rate of mental health problems among young Australian men.

Dr Vella’s colleague, Dr Andrea Fogarty from the Black Dog Institute, will also speak at the event on Wednesday providing some statistics on mental health in male adolescents in the Illawarra region.

Uni in the Brewery is a free event aimed at sharing UOW research in an open and relaxed environment. All welcome and your registration for this event is appreciated at: uow.edu.au/research/unibrewery.

UNI IN THE BREWERY

What:  Mental health and sport: Supporting the wellbeing of young men through organised sport
Who:  Dr Stewart Vella, Early Start Research Institute & Dr Andrea Fogarty, Black Dog Institute
When:   5.30pm – 6.30pm, Wednesday 18 November 
Where: The Illawarra Brewery (Eastern Terrace, WIN Entertainment Stadium)