3
Mind Your Mates sessions delivered in 2026
4.7/5
average overall rating for the sessions
4.8/5
average rating for the presenter’s knowledge
3.1 → 4/5
average knowledge of the topic, before and after
Mind Your Mates: Mental health education for Gippsland sport
When Koonwarra Leongatha RSL Cricket Club asked for help with a mental health session for their Mental Health Round, GippSport teamed up with Lifeline Gippsland to make it happen for more than one club. In 2026, we delivered Mind Your Mates sessions at the club and in community sessions in Traralgon and Drouin.
Why clubs are talking about mental health
Mental health is a major concern for Australians, particularly in regional and rural areas where people can be more isolated and have less access to health services. Initiatives like R U OK? Day have shown that sporting clubs can play a real role in looking after their people.
More clubs want to lead in this space. They want to raise awareness, recognise when someone is struggling, and know what to do next. GippSport already co-facilitates Tackle Your Feelings, but that program is only available to football netball clubs and football umpiring associations. We wanted something every sport could access.
From one club’s idea to a community program
Koonwarra Leongatha RSL Cricket Club wanted to run a mental health awareness session after Thursday night training, leading into their Mental Health Round. GippSport approached Lifeline Gippsland, whose Mind Your Mates training is open to all sporting clubs, and the club’s session became our pilot.
Around 35 members attended the 75-minute session. It went so well that we followed it with two community sessions in July 2026, open to anyone, whether they were involved in a club or not. We chose Traralgon and Drouin because GippSport has strong links with local clubs in both areas, and both towns had venues suited to the format.
Inside the room
The sessions were run by Lifeline Gippsland facilitator Jack Symes, who gave participants practical skills and tools they could use straight away. That included how to recognise when someone might be struggling, and how to start a real conversation about it.
For GippSport Program Officer Mehul, the session changed how he thinks about a simple question.
“My highlight was being asked by Jack, ‘How are you doing?’ and I said ‘I’m alright’ without even thinking about how I was doing. It has just become so natural to say ‘I’m alright’ before thinking, so he asked me again, and that is when I actually had the time to think about how I was truly doing.”
Participants were also introduced to the Beyond Now app, a free tool for creating a personal safety plan. GippSport Club Support Officer Trevor Priest put it to use the next day.
“I downloaded and filled out the app the following day, and shared my mental health plan with friends and family. I also shared the app with a friend who I felt might be entering a very stressful time in his life, and with my colleagues, as I could see how valuable this practical tool was.”
Meeting people where they already are
To bring more people along in Drouin, Trevor worked with West Gippsland Touch Rugby to move their regular Monday night session from Warragul to Bellbird Park for the evening. With a small change to the start time, players stepped off the field and straight into the Mind Your Mates session.
What participants said
The community sessions drew 6 participants in Traralgon and 7 in Drouin, from a range of sports, towns and clubs. The small groups made room for open conversation on a topic that can still be hard to raise.
In post-session surveys, participants rated the session 4.7 out of five overall, 4.7 for how engaging the presenter was and 4.8 for the presenter’s knowledge. They rated their own knowledge of the topic at 3.1 before the session and 4 afterwards.
“This is one of the most valuable training opportunities as it is relevant to everyone.” Workshop attendee
At Koonwarra Leongatha RSL Cricket Club, the committee is now looking at making the Mental Health Round an annual event.
“Thank you for delivering an amazing workshop last night. The effort you put into presenting such delicate information was invaluable. It was wonderful to see many of our players engaged in what you were saying and making contributions to the discussion as well... With the success of last night, I think the committee will be willing to make a mental health round an annual event.”
What clubs can take from this
Have a champion.
Sessions run through a club, with someone there driving it, draw the biggest crowds. The Koonwarra session attracted around 35 members.
Build it into something people already attend.
Koonwarra held theirs straight after training, leading into their Mental Health Round. In Drouin, touch rugby players went straight from the field into the session.
Every conversation counts.
Even a small group can start conversations that ripple out through a club and its community.
Working in partnership with Lifeline Gippsland
This partnership worked because each organisation played to its strengths. Lifeline Gippsland brought qualified trainers and mental health expertise. GippSport brought its relationships with grassroots clubs and looked after promotion, venues, registrations and enquiries.
Where to from here
GippSport can now offer Mind Your Mates in two ways: a session for your club, or a community session open to anyone involved in local sport. We can work with you to find a time and format that suits your members, whether that’s a standalone evening or a session after training. We’re also exploring online delivery.
Keep looking after your club
Want a Mind Your Mates session for your club?
Want this session for your club, league or council area?
Contact GippSport team at info@gippsport.com.au.
Need support now?
Lifeline is available 24/7 on 13 11 14, by text on 0477 13 11 14, or online at lifeline.org.au.