FOUNDED in 2019, the West Belfast Sports Wellbeing Forum started with the aim of working with local sports clubs to reduce suicide and self-harm.
Since securing new premises at the Dairy Farm, where it opened its doors in November, the mental health organisation has provided more than 400 hours of counselling and support to people of all ages and walks of life.
Co-Founder Gerard Mallon said the Wellbeing Forum began after consultation with local clubs, who needed a “bit of confidence” in dealing with mental health issues.
Their “collaborative” approach has seen the service expanded to clubs across Belfast and beyond, saving lives and helping those who are struggling in the process.
“We thought that with the clubs we would have a much wider outreach within the community,” Gerard explained.
“Chances are that somebody within a club will approach their mentor and say they have a problem quicker than they would approach their family.
“If we can get into club with a range of services and training then we can save lives.”
From the outset, the Wellbeing Forum sought the support of our local sports stars in bid to break the stigma surrounding mental health issues. It currently counts pro-boxers Michael Conlan and Sean McComb, as well as Northern Ireland Women’s footballers Marissa Callaghan and Kirsty McGuinness, amongst its ambassadors.
While continuing their work in the world of sport, the West Belfast Sports and Wellbeing Forum has become much more than that.
It now provides a range of services including counselling, befriending, job assistance and welfare advice. It even works alongside a local food bank to help those in poverty.
Explaining their approach, fellow Wellbeing Forum Co-founder, Desy Jones, said: “Our goal is to get people in as early as possible so that they don’t reach that crisis point.
“If somebody is presenting as suicidal it’s very rarely just one thing affecting them. There’s usually a range of things going.”
Desy said the Forum aims to provide a “complete wraparound service”, which also entails providing support for the relatives of those affected by mental ill-health.
One of the key aspects of the Wellbeing Forum is that is helping to alleviate the strain on people who would otherwise have to wait six weeks and more for a counselling appointment.
The West Belfast Sports and Wellbeing Forum currently has no waiting list for over-16s, meaning that it can immediately help those in crisis.
“We start by keeping them safe, then we move into recovery and then we look at what they need around them,” Desy said.
“It’s a whole wraparound service and so far, it has been a massive success.”
He added that community efforts in building the facility means that it now “belongs to the community”.
In the long term, the West Belfast Sports and Wellbeing Forum will hope to avail of statutory funding to ensure those in crisis have a place to turn to.
In the meantime, the Forum will continue to rely on donations and community funding initiatives such as the Sunday Market it will run at the Dairy Farm on February 27 between 11am and 2pm.
Gerard said: “We have assembled a small team of voluntary fundraisers and one of things that they’re doing is the market.
“The market will make a small contribution to the work we do. We’re starting it off small and it’ll be a one-off to see how it goes and then we’ll look to do it every month. If we can and it’s a success then that money will help us pay our rent, keep our lights on and continue to provide our service until we get to the next step.”
