Check in on those around you | #WorldMentalHealthDay
One of the points of the Social Football Summit Manifesto is ‘Inclusivity as a Value’ because we firmly believe that football and sport in general should be accessible to all, without any kink of discrimination. We promote the inclusion of all people of all genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations and physical abilities. We work to eliminate discriminatory attitudes and prejudice in football sector, and we promote awareness programmes to educate football players, coaches and fans on issues of inclusiveness and mutual respect. And that is why we are thrilled to share with all participants, managers, professionals and fans of football and the Social Football Summit, what Norwich City FC posted on its social profiles yesterday.
The English Championship team released a high-impact, but also very sensitive, video to raise awareness of the mental health issue on #WorldMentalHealthDay
“At times, it can be obvious when someone is struggling to cope. But sometimes the signs are harder to spot. Check in on those around you”.
So goes the description of the video shared on the team’s social channels, as well as a series of awareness- raising messages in collaboration with partner Samaritans, a lay volunteer organisation, founded in England in 1953, which through its international network Befrienders Worldwide, operates in around 40 countries around the world. Samaritans Onlus has been active in Italy since 1980 with the primary objective of preventing suicide.
The screenplay of the video might seem simple, you see two fans watching different Norwich City FC matches. One of the two is very sad, even in the moments of stadium euphoria, the other, on the other hand, is totally in tune with the emotions that the matches bring: rejoicing, despairing, protesting and celebrating with his partner.
The ending, however, reveals a sad epilogue and a disconcerting truth. The message the video leaves behind plays – “At times, it can be obvious when someone is struggling to cope. But sometimes the signs are harder to spot. Check in on those around you| #WorldMentalHealthDay”.
