A new era of mental health understanding in the sport and physical activity sector
“Physical activity is essential to health and wellbeing, and there is overwhelming evidence that its benefits far outweigh any risks” – NHS England March 2025
The sport and physical activity sector has a vital role to play in supporting mental health. To make this a reality, we need to strengthen relationships with colleagues who work in the health and social care sector, particularly primary care providers and social prescribers. We must also work with people with mental health conditions who are looking to use physical activity as part of their toolkit of support to build trust and improve mental health.
Poor mental health has become increasingly common across communities in the UK, with one in four adults and one in five young people experiencing poor mental health. Currently, 1.6 million people are stuck on waiting lists for support, yet we know that physical activity can play a role in both preventing and treating mental health problems for many people.
To be truly responsive and inclusive when designing sessions tailored to support mental health outcomes, we must equip our workforce with the knowledge, confidence, and empathy needed to support people of all ages living with mental health conditions.
In its role as the sector’s professional development body, the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) has recognised this as part of its broader ambition of further professionalising the workforce. As such, CIMSPA has facilitated the creation of a new professional standard through a collaboration with:
- Professor Andy Smith, Faculty of Education and Director of Centre for Mental Health Sport and Physical Activity Research, Edge Hill University
- Hayley Jarvis, Head of Physical Activity, Mind
- Ian Braid, Managing Director, DOCIAsport Ltd
The new professional standard “Working with People with Mental Health Conditions” is now available to help those working in the sector. It marks a significant shift in how the workforce is being equipped to meet the needs of those they serve. Giving the workforce the confidence and competence to work with specific cohorts of people means that they are more likely to have -and maintain – sport and physical activity in their lives.
The standard closely aligns with Mind’s Safe and Effective Practice Guidance, which was developed with people with lived experience of mental health problems, coaches, front-line deliverers, healthcare professionals and over 150 organisations. It delivers a more proactive approach to health and wellbeing, not only supporting the NHS view of the benefits of physical activity for mental health but also contributing to reducing waiting lists in the long-term.
At its core, the standard defines the role, scope and competencies required of those who teach, lead and motivate in settings where mental health is a key consideration. It acknowledges the complexity of delivering safe, empathetic and effective physical activity interventions for individuals who may be living with anxiety, depression, trauma or other long-term mental health conditions.
It also speaks to a wider reality. Physical activity professionals are often on the front line of the wellbeing agenda, working with a range of clients who are facing difficult personal circumstances. They must, therefore, be equipped and trained with relevant qualifications to effectively prepare them.
The standard uniquely prioritises support for deliverers, ensuring that they have the support and supervision to manage their own wellbeing when delivering mental health programmes. It goes beyond self-care alone, ensuring that deliverers recognise the limits of their professional expertise and personal boundaries. It positively encourages onward referrals and protecting one’s own mental health.
By offering a robust framework for training and professional development, the new standard gives education and training providers a clear route to aligning their qualifications with industry expectations. Courses that meet the standard can now apply for CIMSPA endorsement and be awarded CPD points. This offers an important demonstration to employers and clients that a practitioner has the skills and knowledge to support mental health safely and effectively in a physical activity setting.
This development also sends a powerful message about the direction of our sector. Professionalism is no longer just about technical ability: it’s about empathy, cultural competence and a commitment to continuous learning. It’s about recognising that every individual who steps into a sport, fitness or other activity environment brings their whole self, both mind and body.
This new standard won’t just improve practice; it invites the workforce and management to think more deeply about our purpose as professionals. Are we ready to meet our responsibilities and opportunities in this space? Are we equipping our teams not just to instruct, but to understand, to support and to empower?
The development of this and other standards lays the foundations. Now it’s up to the sector to use them and in doing so, redefine what it means to exercise a duty of care for clients and communities that we serve.
Colin Huffen, Associate Director of Standards and Regulation at CIMSPA, says:
“Firstly and foremostly thank you to everyone that contributed to the development of this groundbreaking professional standard. We are incredibly pleased with what the group have developed.
“At CIMSPA, we get daily requests from our members who want to better understand the people they work with and their needs so they can support them appropriately.
“I’m sure that this standard and the training that will be endorsed to meet it will be extremely well received and make a significant difference to the support that our professionals provide.”
