Jason Tiatia left, former All Black Pita Alatini middle and Counties Manukau CEO Aaron Lawton at the NZRU's Mind. Set. Engage programme Photo: RNZ Pacific
Mental health must become part of rugby programmes across the Pacific Islands, a former All Black sevens player and mental health advocate says.
Jason Tiatia believes such programmes need to be factored into rugby programmes from the grassroots up to international level.
A panellist at the New Zealand Rugby Union head office in Wellington to launch the 'Mind. Set. Engage' mental health programme on May 22, Tiatia told stakeholders this is a critical programme for all Pasifika players and management.
Formerly known as HeadFirst, the renamed Mind. Set. Engage. supports players, coaches, rugby staff, volunteers and whānau to improve their own mental wellbeing and provide tools to help others.
Established in 2017, the programme operates across New Zealand and has had significant success supporting a cultural shift in the rugby community with more people seeking and receiving help.
New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) and Te Aka Whai Ora (Māori Health Authority) say the partnership aims to improve mental health and wellbeing outcomes in New Zealand communities through rugby.
Tiatia believes the Pasifika mentally of keeping quite and 'everything is ok' is a problem and that needs to be replaced by the openness and confidence to communicate and share issues.
"But the biggest one is communication for our men, particularly our dads and young men. It's okay to express some of these things and share the stories that go with it," Tiatia said.
"We can't stay in our cars and garages. We need to actually come out and share some of our love as well with everyone else. To be open and just be themselves.
"It's okay to not be just a regular player, you need to be other things in our rugby community."
The NZRU-Te Aka Whai Ora programme is being rolled out in in five regions in New Zealand - Counties-Manukau, Bay of Plenty, Wellington, Canterbury and Southland.
Mentors are important
As part of the mental health programme development in the Pacific, Tiatia wants to see more island players who have had stints overseas return to their home unions or offer their service as mentors for local players.
"So we need to prepare our people who are getting contracts overseas and moving into a new world and environment by actually just having some of our ex-players to come back to share with our players and make them understand and be prepared. You cannot just go over there and think everything's going to be beautiful and perfect," he said.
"I think there's a number of things that have to happen, not just the one thing. So I believe most of the overseas-based players need to come back and fill the gap a little bit more, to come and support and be advisors, be a mentor for the transition phase."
Tiatia said he has seen and gone through the challenges himself, when he played in France and Italy.
"I went over to France and lived there for a couple of years and two years in Italy. And after six months I wanted to come back because I couldn't speak the language. I didn't love the lifestyle, nor the food at the time, but I had to learn to adapt, and to go with it,and find my other communities that looked like me, sounded like me. And that way we can sort of move forward.
"It's important in terms of our happiness and wellbeing to be healthy, mentally and physically. Just finding people online is not good enough.
"We need actual physical people with us in our community to share kava, food, culture, and have a laugh. When we isolate ourselves we tend to make some bad decisions."
He said it was also important for overseas clubs hiring Pasifika players to have mental health support systems in place so that those players can be assisted in their transition "because otherwise they just get lost in the system and end up running away from it or making some various decisions along the way".
There have been documented cases of Pasifika players struggling overseas when they were not mentally prepared for stardom.
Photo: Photosport
Start early
Tiatia also believes it is critical that mental health programmes start early with young players taking up rugby.
He said early pressure on children can have a negative effect on their growth and it was important that parents and rugby handlers understand that young children need to be guided and not ruled.
"Young kids just need to be kids and just enjoy being a young man or young girl. And if it's rugby, rugby is great, and it is actually a good pathway," he said.
"We've just got to get kids to continue to get their qualification to continue to be at school, and to continue to be a part of your churches.
"Sometimes they make silly calls and decisions but it's part of the learning. When they go through that we have to be alongside them and to not be too hard too soon because their brains are still trying to connect."
Counties-Manukau Rugby Union CEO Aaron Lawton said an expanded rugby-focused mental health and wellbeing programme would be hugely beneficial for the region.
"In my role I've seen first-hand the need for a proactive programme that can help individuals strengthen their own wellbeing and empower communities to look after each other," he said.
"Rugby is a wonderful vehicle for people to connect and I'm excited to see the lasting impact this partnership will have on Counties Manukau."
