Overview of BJA D&I Structure

Quick Links to BJA ISW resources

British Judo are pleased to announce its Diversity, Inclusion & Wellbeing Action Plan

As we approach World Mental Health Day on Thursday 10th October, at InsideOut we are thrilled to be supporting the members of BJA in looking after their mental health.

As you may know, the focus for this year’s WMHD is ‘mental health at work’. To celebrate WMHD 2024, we’ve put together a couple of resources that you may find useful for your own consideration and/or to share with your team.

First up, I’ve included a few tips/ideas below for creating a positive mental health culture in the workplace. I have also referenced the Menopause and Financial Anxiety guides below.

1. Encourage Open Conversations: Foster a safe space where employees feel comfortable discussing mental health without judgment.
2. Promote Work-Life Balance: Encourage employees to set boundaries and respect personal time.
3. Encourage Setting Healthy Boundaries: Support employees in maintaining a balance between work and personal time. Healthy boundaries protect energy levels and prevent burnout, helping everyone stay focused and motivated.
4. Promote Micro-Breaks: Remind your team to take short breaks throughout the day. Quick stretches, deep breaths, or a short walk can refresh minds and improve concentration, helping them stay sharp and productive.
5. Introduce a Gratitude Practice: Encourage employees to take a moment to reflect on something positive each day. A simple gratitude practice can shift mindsets and create a more optimistic work environment, which boosts morale.
6. Provide Access to Resources: Make tools like Remi and InsideOut’s therapy platform available so support is available 24/7, without the need for referrals.
7. Educate on Mental Health Topics: Share resources on issues like menopause and financial anxiety, often overlooked but impactful.
8. Host Wellbeing Activities: From mindfulness sessions to group walks, activities can help relieve stress and build camaraderie.

Recognize and Appreciate: Acknowledge team efforts and achievements to boost morale and mental health

Free Training

Would you know what to do if you saw harassment taking place?

Research from both L’Oréal and the Suzy Lamplugh Trust has found that 80% of women in the UK have reported experiencing harassment in public spaces and 88% of people in the UK have experienced some form of unwanted behaviour on public transport in the past five years.

Sign up to our free 30-minute bystander intervention training to learn how to intervene when you see harassment and join our movement to stand up against harassment.

https://www.suzylamplugh.org/anti-harassment-training

My Magic Sports Kit. This is a great video for moms and dads, coaches and sports providers to share, a good reminder that children are out there to enjoy sport, have fun.

Intersectionality Guidance

What is buddle:

Whether you’re an established organisation or just starting out, we’ve got some great advice for you. Maybe you need the perfect venue. Or more volunteers. Just dive in…

Buddle’s benefits

Our resources can:

• provide you with current, trusted, information, advice, and guidance to help with all aspects of developing, running, and growing a club or organisation
• equip you with the tools and guidance you need to help your club or organisation become more inclusive and resilient
• answer any questions you may have and help you respond to any issues you may face
• give you access to training and development opportunities to improve and develop your skills, knowledge, and confidence
• keep you up to date with relevant news and developments from across the sector
• signpost you to further support from other trusted sector experts.

Ethnically diverse communities

Ethnically diverse communities | Buddle

Insight and guidance for organisations to become more inclusive to ethnically diverse communities, including top tips, barriers to look out for and where to go for professional training

Neuro Diversity Sport

Home | Neurodiverse Sport

 contact info@neurodiversesport.com

Neurodiverse Sport (@neurodiversesport) • Instagram photos and videos

Mental Health and Wellbeing

Using an App to boost resilience, reduce stress or improve mental health

Have you tried out any apps for improving your own resilience, quality of sleep or working on aspects of your mental health?

Benefits of using Apps for Forming New Habits

• Many of us carry our phone with us most of the time and have easy access to the app.
• Apps can push reminders to us so that we keep up a regular practice.
• Many apps still work when they are offline or at least have an offline mode.
• Apps often work faster than websites.
• A phone can be discreetly used during time, which some might see as wasted – on the train, bus, waiting in a queue, etc.
• Phone apps can use other facilities on the phone like GPS (a running/walking app), camera (taking photos of things that make you feel good)…. etc.

Recommended Apps:

Headspace

This well-publicised Mindfulness app was created by Andy Puddicombe, a former Buddhist monk.  Described as a “gym membership for your mind”, it features meditation and mindfulness techniques to help manage stress and anxiety, improve well-being, and become happier overall.

The series of guided meditations is designed to train your brain in just 10 minutes a day; users can opt to track and reward progress.  There is also a buddy system to maintain motivation and help others do the same.

• Available on iOS and Android
• Daily reminders to take time to relax
• Free access to 10 days of 10 minute unique guided meditations; after that, you have to subscribe.
• Additional specialized free meditations on Sleep, Stress, Eating, Walking, Public Transport and Mindfulness
• Ability to download meditations for offline use

Insight Timer

Insight Timer is currently one of the top meditation apps. 10 or more guided meditation lessons are added for free each day. It has a content library of thousands of guided meditations available from more than 2,600 teachers on creativity, relationships, stress and other topics.  If you prefer a quieter meditation, you can set a timer and meditate to relaxing sounds or intermittent bells.  It also gives you access to a number of podcasts and inspirational free talks.

Meditation Oasis: Simply Being

Meditation Oasis: Simply Being suits beginners and advanced practitioners. Simply Being provides sounds and music as well as guided sessions with configurable time limits.

The featured meditations are nice and short, so it doesn’t matter if you have very little time.

• • • • • • • Available on iOS and Android
            • Good for beginners
            • Meditation for as little as 5 minutes
            • Choice of music and nature sounds
            • Gentle clear, soothing voice

Buddhify

Buddhify is designed to help you relax/meditate while you are moving.  There is a circular chart from which you choose your activity, including “Being online”, “Eating”, and “Walking in the City”.  There is a helpful Q & A section called “Together”, which explains queries you may have about meditation.

• • • • • Available on iOS and Android
        • Meditation for as little as 5 minutes
        • A 7 mixture ‘settle’ session if you are having trouble sleeping.
        • Includes mindful eating
        • Gentle clear, soothing voice

Smiling Mind

This app starts with an explanation of what mindfulness is.  You can then enter your age group to get tailored mindfulness sessions.  Created in Australia, the not-for-profit organisation that created this app works to make mindfulness accessible to all.  Includes a section on ‘Mindfulness in the Workplace.’

• • • • • Available on iOS and Android

Calm

Visual and soothing sounds while listening to a guided meditation.  The free 7 days includes a first session on “Concentration”, which lasts for 9 minutes and explains the benefits of mindfulness and practice.  The free version also includes a helpful visual timer to help you get a good rhythm for relaxed breathing.

• • • • • Available on iOS and Android
        • 28 free scenes of nature or soothing music
        • 7 days of calm – a series of guided meditations
        • Meditation for as little as 2 to 20 minutes
        • Good quality background music

Meditation Timer and Log

A simple timer for your meditation practice.  You can add background noise like ‘sea on rocks’, and you can adjust the duration.  Simple but effective!

• • • • • Available on iOS and Android

Self-Help for Anxiety Management

This app offers a range of self-help methods for people who want to learn to manage their anxiety.

SAM has been developed by a university team of psychologists, computer scientists and student users. Established self-help methods have been combined with high standards of usability to provide an engaging, flexible, and practical resource.

The content of SAM is presented in various media formats to support users in learning about anxiety and practising self-help. Users will get the most out of this app if they study the guide first. Users are encouraged to build their own Anxiety Toolkit of SAM resources that they find helpful and draw on this for regular practice in managing situations associated with anxiety.

• Available on iOS and Android
• Holistic approach – not just relaxation sessions
• Lessons in relaxations, guidance on anxiety treatment, thinking and anxiety, opportunities to become part of their closed social network
• Guidance on putting self-help into practice

Sleep Easily Meditation

This app has a 25-minute guided meditation that combines soothing music with talking you through the relaxation process. The calming female voice works quickly!  This meditation session, like most others, has more impact the more you practice.

• • • • • Available on iOS and Android
        • Written and read by Shazzie Love.
        • Gentle guidance to relax the whole body and mind.
        • You can also set a wake-up alarm through the built-in alarm clock before launching the session.
        • Music and sounds created by Ali Calderwood.

Stop Panic & Anxiety Self Help

Made specifically for people who have panic disorders, Stop Panic & Anxiety Self Help has several features for those regularly experiencing panic and anxiety attacks. The app uses cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) approaches to help users reframe their negative thought patterns, contributing to their anxiety. It also features relaxation audios, an anxiety diary, and emotional training tools.

• • • • • Available on Android only

What’s Up?

Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) involves learning more about how you think and how your thoughts affect your emotions. If you have anxiety, it can mean the difference between having a panic attack and tackling your fear and worry head-on: this app trains anxiety, depression and anger sufferers to identify negative thoughts.

It starts with a simple presentation to reinforce the message that ‘You are not alone.”

• Available on iOS and Android
• Includes sections entitled ‘help right now’, ‘coping strategies’, ‘information’ and ‘personal’.
• Features breathing techniques, habit and anxiety trackers & positive quotes.
• Lists the 12 common negative thinking patterns and simple methods to overcome them
• 10 metaphors to help you cope with negative feelings
• Includes a catastrophe scale. Put your problems into a better perspective when things are too much
• A grounding game containing over 100 fun questions to help keep you grounded and in the present when stress is taking over
• 3 simple breathing techniques for keeping calm and relaxed

Gratitude Journal, Affirmation

This app is a self-care tool to help you focus on your mental health.

It includes a gratitude journal, affirmations, a vision board and daily motivation content.  As the app is completely private, you can be assured that your journal entries, affirmations and vision board are for your eyes only.

Available on iOS and Android

WYSA: stress, depression & anxiety therapy chatbot

WYSA is a mood tracker, mindfulness coach, anxiety helper, and mood-boosting app. It contains daily spiritual meditations that improves mental health, and it also helps you keep track of your mood with friendly chats. WYSA also helps fight stress and anxiety with its proven techniques and calming meditation and mindfulness audios.

Your.MD Healthily: Self-Care & Health Journal

This free self-care app, designed by doctors, enables you to monitor your health changes by checking your symptoms via a private chatbot. Users can access a health library and complete a journal and tracker to check their progress. ‘Healthily’ helps you decide if you should access medical assistance and provides tools to encourage you to make changes to improve your wellbeing.

The app provides self-care information on a range of health conditions from coronavirus, colds, sore throat to back pain, headaches, anxiety, and depression.

The app is designed for people who are generally healthy and maybe experiencing mild symptoms. It cannot provide a diagnosis or medical advice and should not be used for serious medical concerns.

Fabulous self-care

Fabulous is a habit tracker which helps you focus on your wellbeing goals. It encourages you to build healthy routines to improve your fitness, achieve your weight loss goals, sleep well and practise mindfulness for relaxation and improved mental health. Fabulous includes integrated exercises, health sessions and personal life coaching to motivate you to lead a healthier lifestyle.

eQuoo: Emotional Fitness Game

It is a fun, evidence-based app to develop new psychological skills to build emotional intelligence and enhance your personal development. Developed by a psychologist and the creators of  The Walking Dead games, this app allows you to choose your own adventure games and progress through ‘levels’ to boost resilience, improve relationship skills, reduce anxiety and enhance your wellbeing. Engaging mini-games help you understand your personality and set personal development goals.

Stay Alive

The Stay Alive app is a pocket suicide prevention resource for the UK, packed full of useful information to help you stay safe. You can use it if you have thoughts of suicide or are concerned about someone else who may be considering suicide. In addition to the resources, the app includes a safety plan, customizable reasons for living, and a life box where you can store important photos. Available on iOS and Android.

Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK is a chance for organisations to step up and show their support. Led by the Mental Health Foundation, this annual campaign is all about breaking stigma and fostering well-being in the workplace. Let’s join forces, host events, and share resources to create a more supportive environment for everyone.

Download the Guide to Mental Health Awareness Week 2024

In the UK, Mental Health Awareness Week is scheduled for 13th to 19th May 2024.

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For Mental Health Awareness Week 2024,  INEQE Safeguarding Group have compiled our best resources on mental health, along with some top tips for talking to young people about mental health.

Use the link to access the resources

What is Spot. Support. Signpost?

It aims to help anyone (from volunteers through to senior leaders) to:

• Spot the signs someone may be struggling.
• Support them (if you feel able to do so).
• Signpost them to help and services.

It doesn’t make you a mental health expert. But Spot. Support. Signpost. provides small, everyday actions that can make a big difference.

What is support is available?

Our mind.org.uk/SpotSupportSignpost webpage provides guidance on how physical activity deliverers can Spot. Support. Signpost.

 

And, we’ve worked with people with mental health problems and physical activity deliverers (e.g. coaches, instructors, professionals) to create a library of free Spot. Support. Signpost. assets. This includes:

• An animation in partnership with Buddle
• A text message video giving an example of a conversation between a coach and participant
• Mind branded graphics for social media and websites
• Mind branded infographics which you can use for signposting
• FAQs on how to Spot. Support. Signpost.
• Blogs from people with lived experience of mental health problems who have been supported by physical activity deliverers.

Many of these assets are editable, so the content can be transferred into your own branding (access and download editable assets).

Also additional guides are available via the mind website:

Influence and Participation toolkit

Mental Health and Physical Activity Toolkit

What support do we need?

We would love your help to ensure as many people working and volunteering in sport and physical activity are aware of Spot. Support. Signpost.

We’ve developed a Partner Pack to help with this. The pack (attached and saved online here) includes newsletter, email and website content, social media posts and images.

If you need anything else or have upcoming opportunities to promote Spot. Support. Signpost. please let us know.

And whilst we’ve got you…

Did you know we recently updated the Mental Health Awareness for Sport and Physical Activity eLearning course? We’ve added new content, made it more accessible and reduced the price to just £10.

To stay up to date with all things mental health and physical activity related, why not sign up to our monthly newsletter. Sign up here.

Members mental health & wellbeing support 

BJA have been provided for all our members (aged 18+ only, ) complimentary access to Remi, Inside Out AI mental health coach for 6 months. During this time, users will be able to take advantage of all of Remi’s features and the journaling tools in the InsideOut App. We truly believe everyone should have access to timely care, and we hope this gesture reinforces Inside Out mission and compliments BJA Mental Health & Wellbeing Strategy.

To get started immediately, as a member can sign-up here using this link that has been created. The link will enable them to download the InsideOut App. To note, members must use this link to download the App as this will grant them a subscription. If they try to download the App from the App Stores, they will get a notification to say they do not have a valid subscription and will be unable to use Remi and the self-help tools.

VR Landing Page – InsideOut (lettheinsideout.com)