"How ready is your club to support young people’s Mental Health?"
Why the Organisation Mental Health Score matters.
Know your club’s readiness — fast In just 2 minutes, get a clear snapshot of how prepared your club is to support young people.
Youth mental health is a real risk Two in five young Australians face mental‑health challenges each year — and most don’t seek help early.
Your score shows if your club is ready, at risk, or meeting modern safeguarding expectations.
Why Early Intervention Matters?
Early intervention protects young people
Most mental‑health challenges start early. When adults notice signs sooner, young people get help sooner — and small issues stay small.
Families want to know their club is safe, aware, and proactive. When a club responds well, confidence grows. When it doesn’t, trust disappears quickly.
Clear processes and capable adults reduce crisis mismanagement, safeguarding issues, and volunteer burnout.
It strengthens trust with parents and families
It reduces risk for coaches and committees
Young people stay longer in clubs where they feel supported, understood, and safe. Parents keep their kids in environments they trust. Clubs that ignore mental‑health readiness lose players, volunteers, and reputation.
It directly affects retention
Associations, councils, and governing bodies increasingly expect clubs to show they can support young people — not just hope for the best.
It prepares your club for modern expectations
Youth Mental Health First Aid — the essential next step for every club
When a young person is struggling, adults often notice something’s off — but don’t always know what to look for or how to respond safely. Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) gives them the skills to act early and confidently.
This nationally accredited, evidence‑based training teaches adults how to:
Recognise early signs of mental‑health challenges
Start safe, supportive conversations
Take practical action until professional help is available
Delivered by Open Eyes Training
Your club receives Youth MHFA through a trainer who understands community sport, lived experience, and the realities coaches and volunteers face every week.
Nationally recognised accreditation (valid for 3 years)
Everyone who completes the course becomes an Accredited Youth Mental Health First Aider for three years, recognised by Mental Health First Aid Australia. This shows your club is serious about safeguarding and wellbeing.
Why it matters
Two in five young Australians face mental‑health challenges each year. Most don’t seek help early — but trained adults can change that.
Youth MHFA is not just a course. It’s how clubs show leadership, meet modern safeguarding expectations, and make mental health part of their culture.
What We Deliver
What You Receive
2. A tailored improvement pathway
Specific steps your club can take to strengthen mental‑health capability.
3. The Executive Summary (PDF Guide)
A short, organisation‑ready overview of:
the youth mental‑health challenge
why sport plays a critical role
what MHFA training provides
how clubs can build a safer culture
how to use your score to plan next steps
This guide gives your committee a clear, professional overview you can use for planning, funding, and safeguarding discussions.
1. Your Organisation Mental Health Score
A clear number showing your current readiness level.
4. Eligibility for grants, partnerships, and training packages
Your score helps demonstrate need and readiness to funders, councils, and associations.
Complete your score and receive these resources instantly by email
Here's what coaches and administrators say
"Highlighted aspects of mental health that I personally have never experienced but helped me understand and identify signs of mental health concerns within youth. Also breaking down of the course into 4 aspects allowed specific focus on each."
"The course was very well presented & engaging. The material was easy to understand & explained well. I now have a better understanding of mental illness & how I can help those struggling with mental health."
"The amount of information provided was immense, and it really taught me a lot of things I didn't know, such as the three different eating disorders (I thought there was 2)"
"Dean did an incredible job at presenting, he kept the group engaged and provided the group with a safe learning environment. The group felt comfortable with each other to ask questions and have some great in depth conversations."
"The course provided a well thought-out in-depth information youth mental health; the multiple facets/faces that it comes in and how to approach each case. It covered a range of heavy subjects in a factual thoughtful manner, which makes it digestible."
"Working with young kids and having teens and pre teens myself, I initially went to make myself educated for my own children. I quickly learned that Mental Health doesn't discriminate and having the tools and knowledge can help me help others."
I’ve spent 25+ years working with young people in community sport — as a coach, mentor, and parent. I know what it feels like when a young person is struggling, because I lived it myself growing up in sport.
That experience shaped how I coach, how I support young people, and why I created Open Eyes.
I bring real lived experience, practical tools, and a calm, grounded approach that helps clubs support young people early, confidently, and without overcomplicating it.
- Dean Ainsworth
Who's behind Lift Up the Game?
Why us?
We speak club language
Everything is framed in real sporting scenarios — coaches, committees, parents, and game‑day moments — so the training actually sticks.
We make it practical
Clubs walk away with clear, usable steps they can apply immediately, not theory that gets forgotten after the session.
Coaches and volunteers learn how to recognise concerns early and respond calmly, safely, and within their role.
We build confident adults
We fit around your season
Flexible delivery options mean clubs can train without disrupting training nights, game days, or volunteer commitments.
Clubs that invest in mental‑health literacy show leadership, attract families, and meet modern expectations from councils and governing bodies.
We strengthen your reputation
Ready to See Your Club’s Mental Health Score?
Find out how prepared your club is to support young people — and where the gaps are.
Takes 60 seconds. Free. Confidential. Built for sporting clubs.
