Mental Health Program
A specialised approach to program planning, delivery and evaluation
Our team takes great pride in its role as the AFL industry’s leading mental health and wellbeing program and service provider for current and past players. Our members inform us that mental health and wellbeing is an area of personal priority. Our efforts are geared, in response, to meet this desire for increased knowledge, understanding & action. We adopt a tailored and specialised approach to our program planning, delivery and evaluation. Our services align to the strengths of other AFL industry stakeholders and are designed to meet the current and emerging needs of our members, from those entering the AFL system to those long departed. This member-centred focus is underpinned by a commitment to appropriate and expert resources, strong governance frameworks, and best practice in mental health care and educational practice.
How our programs differ from others
We understand that mental health is dynamic, changing over time in response to different stresses and experiences. This variation extends to the capacity and the support needs of our members. Our expert team holders experience and relationships across the AFL ecosystem, resulting in an acute understanding for both the environment and the player experience. We align our approaches with key industry stakeholders such as AFL clubs, player agents and the AFL and we leverage related AFLPA programs and services in areas such as finance and legal. The AFLPA staff who work closely with players also play key roles in raising program awareness and supporting engagement. Our programs are mapped to transparent and strategic outcomes, funded, informed and refined by our membership. By players, for players – current and past.
The impact of our programs
We are proud of the long-standing reputation our programs have received for supporting the individualised needs of our members. We commit to continue building upon past successes to drive continual improvements in member care, advocacy and education. Our team has represented the needs of our members to inform and drive significant industrial change in recent years. We’ve leveraged industry and external partnerships in areas concerning research and education to deliver important member and industry insights that have led to improved industry outcomes. Our members continue to increase their engagement in our services year-on-year and our member-lead community facing campaigns are widely recognised for their significant contribution in driving mental health societal change.
For more information on Mental Health, visit our dedicated Mental Health Hub.