Course participants in the Youth Mental Health First Aid training program. Photo: Supplied.
FROM REDLANDS RAYS BASEBALL CLUB
Redlands Rays Baseball Club is taking meaningful steps to support youth mental health by investing in Youth Mental Health First Aid training for coaches, volunteers, and parents.
The initiative forms part of a broader campaign known as Lift Up The Game, which encourages sporting clubs to move beyond awareness and take practical action to better support the mental wellbeing of young people.
With youth mental health challenges continuing to rise across Australia, the club believes sport plays a vital role in creating environments where young people feel safe, supported, and heard.
“Sport is one of the few places where adults see young people consistently, build trust with them, and notice when something might not be right,” said long-time coach, Junior Coordinator, and Youth Mental Health First Aid Instructor Dean Ainsworth.
“If we’re not prepared to respond, we miss important opportunities to support kids early.”
Research shows that two in five young people will experience a mental health challenge in any given year before the age of 25, and suicide remains the leading cause of death for Australians aged 15 to 24.
Despite this, many young people do not seek help. Stigma, fear of judgement, and not knowing how to start the conversation are common barriers.
Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a nationally recognised program from Mental Health First Aid Australia that equips adults to recognise signs of mental health challenges, have safe and supportive conversations including discussions around suicide, listen without judgement, provide initial support, and encourage young people to access appropriate professional help.
The training does not replace professional care. Instead, it gives everyday adults the confidence to step in early and respond appropriately.
For Ainsworth, the work is deeply personal.
“I grew up playing at this club, and as a young person I went through periods where I was really struggling and had my own suicidal thoughts when I was younger” he said.
“Mental health just wasn’t something we talked about back then. You either pushed through or dealt with it quietly.”
Now with more than 25 years of coaching experience, he says that journey has shaped his commitment to ensuring today’s young people do not feel alone.
“This club gave me a lot. I feel a responsibility to give back by helping make sure young people have access to adults who are trained, present, and willing to have the conversation when it matters.”
Since publicly announcing his involvement in Youth Mental Health First Aid training earlier this year, Ainsworth says the response has been immediate.
“It’s been a hectic start,” he said. “People have started opening up. Parents, coaches, even young people themselves, often just because they know someone nearby has done the training. It’s quite an eye opener to see what is lying just beneath the surface all around us.”
He believes visibility alone plays a powerful role.
“Just knowing someone is a Youth MHFAider creates permission for people to speak.
“Given the statistics, it’s inevitable you will use this training as you will come across someone who is going through a mental health crisis and we’re looking for adults who are ready to step up in this space because our young people need these kinds of leaders in our community.”
With hundreds of junior players across the club, Redlands Rays have trained a growing group of coaches, volunteers, and parents in Youth Mental Health First Aid, achieving a ratio of approximately one trained adult for every 14 young people.
