As RL talks about mental health and player welfare, Castleford seek a Masters-degree qualified mental health professional to work for free

[whatmichaelsays]

How can a club in a sport that says talks so loudly about its mental health initiatives possibly believe that something like this is acceptable? 

https://www.castlefordtigers.com/article.php?id=6475

After the issues experienced by the Irish players in Spain, the insistence on a lengthy fixture list and the doubling-up of games over Easter, surely it's time to call out these "player welfare" initiatives as a complete facade? 

[Oliver Clothesoff]

Cas should be applauded for seeking to appoint such a staff member. It’s the first of its kind that I’m aware of. 

Cas should be criticised however for it being a completely voluntary position. How can you ask someone whose dedicated their time to their education to work for free? That’s appalling. 

[Lowdesert]

39 minutes ago, whatmichaelsays said:

How can a club in a sport that says talks so loudly about its mental health initiatives possibly believe that something like this is acceptable? 

https://www.castlefordtigers.com/article.php?id=6475

After the issues experienced by the Irish players in Spain, the insistence on a lengthy fixture list and the doubling-up of games over Easter, surely it's time to call out these "player welfare" initiatives as a complete facade? 

Doesn’t say how many hours or what expenses can be claimed, but Volunteers are widely engrained in most sports clubs.  I agree in some of this that it could give the impression of a cosmetic fix to growing recognition in mental health.

Watching the game v Spain showed a completely different side to what the Player complaining did.  I think the reporter can’t have watched that at all as it showed nothing out of the ordinary.

The bus, food, walk to the pitch might have been true, but might not.  I can’t see how these 2 instances (player welfare and debatable complaint) are inexorably linked at all.

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

A much needed appointment. I can see how moving to Castleford could be detrimental to someone’s mental health 

[dixiedean]

50 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

Cas should be applauded for seeking to appoint such a staff member. It’s the first of its kind that I’m aware of. 

Cas should be criticised however for it being a completely voluntary position. How can you ask someone whose dedicated their time to their education to work for free? That’s appalling. 

Sadly, asking folk to work for free is all too common in the field of mental health. Especially for those who need a certain number of hours worked to become fully accredited.

This has obvious knock on effects on the opportunities and salaries of those qualified.

[paulwalker71]

It would be laughable if it wasn't so badly misjudged.

Don't 'recognise the issue', then try and fix it with a volunteer. If you really think this is worth doing, then pay someone properly to do it.

It doesn't even seem like they are willing to reimburse expenses.

[RugbyLeagueGeek]

This role has nothing to do with mental health, and is just looking for a volunteer to work with their academy.

[Eddie]

They should link up with their local Mental Health Trust who I expect would be willing to have their PCMHS / IAPT staff work with their players, and increase their own access rates in the process. Cas could then help advertise the service to their own fans - everyone’s a winner. 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

3 hours ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

Cas should be applauded for seeking to appoint such a staff member. It’s the first of its kind that I’m aware of. 

Cas should be criticised however for it being a completely voluntary position. How can you ask someone whose dedicated their time to their education to work for free? That’s appalling. 

I wouldn't underestimate the appeal or working for a professional team has on someone's CV. Potentially an internship style thing

Also, it's well known plenty of people just want to be involved with sports teams they have a passion for and will take a cut in salary to do so. Eg I know a maths teacher who has taken a position with Luton Town teaching their academy kids. About 10k less than working in a school but he is a big Hatters fan

Granted this is voluntary not a pay drop but potentially same thing 

[John Fisher]

This, unfortunately is a British issue. Because the NHS is "free" everybody expects anything to do with health, whether physical or mental, should also be "free" 

[EssexRL]

RL clubs have also been criticised by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy for advertising physio jobs well below the market rate in the last year. A real shame as RL pioneered the use of qualified physios in sport; ahead of football. (I used to work for the CSP). 

[dixiedean]

4 hours ago, John Fisher said:

This, unfortunately is a British issue. Because the NHS is "free" everybody expects anything to do with health, whether physical or mental, should also be "free" 

True enough. However, neither one of us, nor indeed, a pro rugby player would find it acceptable to have our broken leg, pneumonia or heart problem treated by an unpaid volunteer or intern.

[RugbyLeagueGeek]

It seems very few posters are actually reading the advert or understanding what the role is about. It has nothing to do with mental health.

[Adelaide Tiger]

18 minutes ago, RugbyLeagueGeek said:

It seems very few posters are actually reading the advert or understanding what the role is about. It has nothing to do with mental health.

Spot on.

[gingerjon]

7 hours ago, RugbyLeagueGeek said:

It seems very few posters are actually reading the advert or understanding what the role is about. It has nothing to do with mental health.

I've just read it.

It's a job. It should be paid.

[JohnM]

9 hours ago, dixiedean said:

True enough. However, neither one of us, nor indeed, a pro rugby player would find it acceptable to have our broken leg, pneumonia or heart problem treated by an unpaid volunteer or intern.

Kind of says goodbye to Red Cross, St John Ambulance, British Heart Foindation, McMillan....