The Changing Room - a safe place for young women to talk
7th March 2023
By Tina Hodge, Physical Activity Partnership & Development Co-ordinator
“I feel safe to talk in this space.” This feedback, from a young woman involved in The Changing Room, is one of the most powerful things you can hear as a mental health facilitator.
My role in the Physical Activity & Sport Team at SAMH has led to many hugely rewarding moments for me personally. However, one of the most significant to me is launching The Changing Room for Women: a 12-week programme which provides a safe place for women aged 18 to 30 to connect with others and tackle mental health issues in the community.
We designed The Changing Room to break down barriers. As the programme is adapted from a similar model for men, we worked with young women before the launch to identify issues which prevented them from engaging with mental health support previously. For example, we know women can face barriers to meeting in person due to childcare commitments, or may feel less comfortable travelling to a football stadium on darker nights.
To ensure the programme is accessible, we’ve taken a hybrid approach which allows us to build confidence and a social connection to participants online before we carry out in-person sessions. From there, participants can meet at their local football ground and use the power of sport to boost their mental health and wellbeing. But we require no footballing skills or sporting experience to join. The Changing Room is a safe community open to all young women.
When asked what their biggest learning was from the programme so far, once participant replied: "That we're truly not alone, others are experiencing similar challenges as we are."
Another said: "I have learned within this space that even though we might have different challenges we are all here dealing with them together." This is the power of community, and why we have continually worked with young women to expand the programme.
In partnership with Hibernian Community Foundation and the Big Hearts Community Foundation, we’ve supported participants to build skills to support their wellbeing and mental health, and created opportunities to hear from guest speakers. During week five, we were joined by player and referee Isla Buchanan, whose inspirational story left a lasting impression on every young woman in the room.
We’ve also embedded the 5 Ways to Better Wellbeing framework throughout sessions, empowering young women to take small steps towards improving their mental health. One young women said: “There is no pressure. We’re here for encouragement, which is really nice.”
We’re really excited to begin the sign-up process for our next Changing Room cohort and I would like to encourage any young women interested in joining to get in touch. You can sign up here, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. My email is tina.hodge@samh.org.uk and I’d be delighted to hear from you.
