Ranjit Singh from Levelling the Playing Field’s specialist partners Wolverhampton Wrestling Club says demand for mental health support from his participants has never been higher.
The club, based in an inner-city Sikh gurdwara, runs a range of programmes for its hugely multicultural participants both young and old. Much of their work focuses on engaging local children who may otherwise roam the streets and get involved in crime and violence.
Recently, club manager Ranjit has noticed a marked increase in behavioural and mental health issues which he believes are related to the current cost of living crisis and long-term ill-effects of the pandemic.
“Our kids’ mental health is coming under a lot of pressure and in many cases it’s a knock-on effect from the parents or guardians who are feeling financial stress.
“We’re hearing children who have been with us a long time say that they have been missing meals. Even some families who I’d regard as more middle class are having problems now.
“There was a big change in children after the pandemic and I’m seeing similar effects now with the financial crisis. There’s more pressure on the youth than ever – they're not as free to live their own lives.
“We’re in the heart of the community and have built up relationships with these children over several years, so when there are changes in behaviour, it’s obvious to us. It’s not just because the kids feel like misbehaving – I think they are feeling the pressure too.”
To address this heightened need, the club is training 10 more mentors and sending existing staff on additional mental health training – half of whom are females so female participants feel more comfortable in opening up to them. They have also set up a food takeaway service for anyone in need from the local community.
The club’s home at the Sikh gurdwara doubles up as a wellbeing centre as well as a sporting environment. In a subtle way, the club have allocated certain times for participants and their families to drop in for mental health support, although they are certainly not advertised as such.
“People still worry about the stigma, especially in the Asian community,” says Ranjit. “You say the words ‘mental health’ and they may worry about people pointing fingers. We make it clear we treat everyone individually and they can come and see us about any issues. If we can’t help them, we’ll signpost them to other people and organisations who can.
“What we're seeing lately has made us focus much more on mental health. Just because our participants are younger, people forget that the financial crisis affects them, not just the parents.
“We try to give everybody hope that it will come good and use mentoring to raise their personal wellbeing. Through our activities, our mentors are able to build a trusting vibe.
“Through that process, we get to know their characters and their personality, so when you notice one of the kids being quieter than usual, for example, that’s a sign that something’s up. You have to be tactful that you’re not seen to be intruding, but hopefully the relationship you’ve formed means they will feel comfortable with that staff member.”
Read more about Wolverhampton Wrestling Club here.