On World Mental Heath Day, our Senior Consultant, Mieke Evans, assess the role of sport as a powerful vehicle for boosting mental wellbeing individually and across communities.

Mental health is a human right.

It affects all aspects of our lives. From being able to show up for work through to coping with life’s daily stressors – and everything in between.

Mental health – is – health.

And protecting it requires embedding mental health across policies and practices.

Sport is no exception. You could even go as far as saying sport needs to work even harder in this space. To ensure the negative effects of the rising digital world does not undo the good work.

Sport is a powerful enabler of positive change. Change to people’s livelihoods. Their community around them. And the societies they live in.

We work with organisations around the world to use sport for good and we’re extremely proud of the impact our clients have.

World Mental Health Day – a time to pause and reflect

Today, 10 October, is World Mental Health Day. It is a moment in time globally to raise awareness, advocate, mobilise support and reduce stigma.

This year, 350 million people will need humanitarian support and protection. That’s 4.4% of the global population.

And an estimated 67 million with mental health disorders are living in conflict, disaster, or displacement.

This year’s World Mental Health Day focuses on mental health access and services in catastrophes and emergencies. The call to action is clear: mental health is not a luxury – it is a lifeline.

While we don’t directly work in areas of conflict, we do believe that sport can transcend boundaries. When sport is used as a tool for good, it can be both preventative and restorative.

While there may not be a disaster on your doorstep right now, you can still upskill yourself on how to help others cope after disaster.

The American Psychiatric Association has a free resource on helping children and adults cope after a disaster.

The power beyond sport

Our clients far and wide believe in the power of sport – beyond, sport. We work with grassroots charities, through to FMCG brands, and those in between.

We’re proud of the work we do with our clients, to shine a spotlight on the power sport brings to individuals and communities.

One example is Beyond Sport’s Head in the Game programme created to address the urgent youth mental wellbeing crisis.

The programme collaborates with and engages members of the U.S. sports community – local, collegiate, and professional – to boost mental wellbeing and normalise conversations.

Explore more, including grants and capacity building, advocacy campaign and the learning community at Head in the Game.

Another project, one we manage in partnership with Beyond Sport, is Rexona’s Breaking Limits Programme. This aims to equip young people with the confidence to move however they want.

Now spanning 11 countries, it provides young people access to role models, community support and safe spaces through free digital training, NGO partnerships, engagement in schools and raising awareness of the barriers standing in young people’s way.

The digital training modules equip coaches to engage with young people over a huge range of topics. Including racial inclusion, confidence, inclusivity, mental wellbeing and displaced youth.

All modules are freely available in English, Spanish and Portuguese – you can sign up here.

How will you act this World Mental Health Day?

However you support World Mental Health Day, we hope you find the time to pause and reflect. To explore how you can improve your own mental health and those around you.

Mental wellbeing is critical to all of us, and naturally, is hugely influenced by our working lives. As mentioned above, you could argue it is even more prevalent in a sport industry full of passion and pressures.

Earlier this year, Sport Industry Group, also part of the Benchmark group, launched a dedicated mental wellbeing platform offering key resources, for both individuals and organisations, that can assist in taking the first steps in providing safe and positive workspaces.

More broadly, if you’re interested in having a chat about how we can help you or your organisation use sport to improve people’s mental health get in touch. We’d love to talk more.

Resources

Access to Service: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies, World Mental Health Day 2025 Toolkit.

Ensuring a coordinated and effective mental health response in emergencies, WHO.

Helping Children and Adults Cope after a Disaster, The American Psychiatric Association.

Tips to manage overwhelm during global events and relentless bad news, Mental Health Foundation

Resources, tips, and stories on teen mental health, Head in the Game Instagram