The Changing Room
The Changing Room has one goal – to promote men’s mental health and wellbeing through the power of football.
Rangers Charity Foundation was delighted to bring The Changing Room to Ibrox in 2022 for the first time to invite men to step down from the stands, into the heart of their club, and take action for their mental health.
Jordan Boyd, Community Programmes Manager at the Rangers Charity Foundation said:
“We recognise the role football can play in bringing people together and helping people with their health and wellbeing.
“We already run weekly virtual Team Talk sessions for mental health and wellbeing and are really pleased to have added an already established, successful programme to our range of community activity under our expanding ‘Foundation for Healthy Lives’ pillar so we can reach and help more people.”
The project targets men in their middle years (aged 30-64) and works to help guys better self-manage their mental health and support one another, as part of a team. These sessions are a chance to get away from everyday stresses and chat about football and mental health at the home of Rangers Football Club. Lots of us like a blether about pre-match tactics, team selection, or post-match analysis with your pals. But men also need to get the stuff that’s bothering them off their chests. The Changing Room is here for them.
The Changing Room is a SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health) project that works in partnership with SPFL Trust and football club charities and trusts across Scotland. It is funded by the global men’s health charity, Movember.
This exciting course uses the power of football and a variety of activities each week to help men tackle their mental health. One participant said:
“I don’t know at what point it clicked for me, but it did. I built a brilliant network of friends and I hadn’t had as much fun as I had in ages.
“Since coming along to the Changing Room I’ve came on leaps and bounds, I’ve sought professional advice, rekindled friendships and I’ve been open about my emotions with my family; I feel that I’m as close to them as I’ve ever been.”
Courses run at the Ibrox Community Complex, 80 Hinshelwood Drive, G51 2XP.
Interested in joining? The next programme runs every Monday 3-5pm in the Ibrox Community Hub. Email rangerscharity@rangers.co.uk with your contact details to sign up!
