Tarf take time out of Finals prep to “Mind Ur Buddy”

The Clontarf Senior Panel who are set to take on Lansdowne in next Saturday’s Ulster Bank League Div1a final parked training last night to continue their participation in the IRFU/Pieta House “Mind Ur Buddy” mental fitness initiative to educate and equip Club members to spot the signs when someone is in suicidal crisis. The Tarf players filled out feedback forms on the initiative a year after first supplying feedback to the programme operator Pieta House.

In the interim they have undergone training workshops hosted by Pieta House on the importance of being aware of your own mental fitness and that of your fellow team mates and Club members. The Mind Ur Buddy scheme is training nominated Club members to support their peers in overcoming personal issues with the overall aim of reducing the potential for self-harm and suicide.

The initiative is providing a direct link to Pieta House services with designated Club members being the point of contact between a person in distress and Pieta House. This initiative was piloted in 12 clubs during the 2013/14 season, the programme with see 70 clubs offered the opportunity to undertake Pieta House training workshops during the 2014/15 season, with every club having the opportunity to undertake the training and support service by the end of 2017. In its simplest form the programme will deliver structure, training and help for those people who are already the ‘go-to’ person in their clubs.Clubs will identify a number of ‘Buddies’, across all age groups, who will undertake Pieta House training, to provide them with the confidence to assist those who are experiencing issues which could be impacting their mental health and well-being.

For more information on the ‘Mind Ur Buddy’ programme, please visit www.mindourmen.ie/mind-ur-buddy/.