Head in the game: Everton in the Community’s mental health hub

Everton in the Community (EitC) is unlocking the power of grassroots football to transform lives through the first purpose-built mental health and wellbeing centre attached to a Premier League football club.

The People’s Place”, a stone’s throw away from Goodison Park, opened in March 2023 using a £500k grant from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation.

Since then, the facility has been visited by over 5,000 local residents, ranging from 0 to 105-years old, to take part in physical activity programmes aimed at improving mental health and promoting suicide prevention.

As well as Multi-Use Games Areas, the facility includes a dedicated space for a team of onsite GPs, mental health nurses and clinical psychologists to provide direct professional support to those who need it.

As Deputy CEO of EitC Michael Salla, explains, the site’s association to Everton FC and its proximity to Goodison Park have been crucial to engaging people who otherwise might have avoided the kind of support offered at the site:

“A lot of people think football clubs only deliver football sessions, but Everton in the Community does so much more than that. We use football as a gateway to provide a whole range of support for physical and mental health, education and employment.

“Football clubs are in the heart of their communities, so having the association with Everton has helped us to overcome the stigma surrounding mental health and normalise the conversation.

“Having a dedicated facility to provide this much-needed support has meant we’re now able to reach more people than ever before, so we’re extremely grateful for the Football Foundation’s support and look forward to continuing our partnership.”