Roughriders’ foundation gets funding boost for mental health programs

The Saskatchewan Roughriders and Conexus Credit Union have teamed up to help kids who struggle with mental health.

During a presentation at Regina’s St. Kateri Tekakwitha School on Monday, Conexus CEO Celina Philpot announced the company will be committing $300,000 to the Riders’ Game Changer Playbook and Win With Wellness player presentation series over the next three years.

The playbook is a list of mental wellness organizations to provide resources for those who need assistance. The presentation series involves a player speaking at a school about his own struggles with mental health.

Jonathan Halvorson, the development manager with the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation, said the player ambassadors were chosen for a specific reason.

“They wanted to give back to the community and we’re so grateful that we have players that care about this province and want to give back,” he said.

Halvorson added the foundation knows the players are a great fit for the program.

“They’re actively great role models for the community and so it’s an opportunity for the team and the players to give back in a meaningful and impactful way. We know that coming out of COVID one of the biggest challenges some of the kids are facing is ultimately mental health,” he said.

According to Halvorson, it is beneficial for the kids to see that their role models also struggle with mental health.

“When you get to see these individuals that we see scoring touchdowns, scoring points (or) making big plays on TV and they themselves are going through some of the issues that all of us face — especially youth — it hopefully will eliminate the stigma,” he said.

Philpot explained the company feels it’s important for the community to have physical and mental well-being in order for them to impact their mental wellness.

“We believe there is a lot of reach and an opportunity to equip students with the skills they need to deal with their mental health,” she said.

Philpot added that creating an environment to share is impactful and helps students deal with mental health concerns.

“It’s hard to be a young person these days. Coming out of a pandemic, people feel alone, so just trying to get back into that environment where they feel comfortable reaching out to people is super-important,” Philpot explained.

She believes supports for kids are needed now more than ever.

Details on the playbook and the presentation series, which were originally announced in October, can be found online.