“I strongly believe that football clubs have a great responsibility within their communities.”
Burnley manager Vincent Kompany showed his commitment to getting involved in community action by attending a mental health session held at local school Shuttleworth College as part of EFL’s Week of Action .
The 36-year-old, who led the Clarets to top spot in the Sky Bet Championship, took time Monday morning to discuss stress and anxiety management with a group of eighth graders.
“I am part of a club that sets an example for community participation,” declared Kompagny. “You could say football should stay on the pitch, but I think it’s more than that.
“Our influence within the community is enormous and must be respected and cherished. Today’s event is just one of the things we do, it’s an important project.”
Thirteen-year-old Kian, a Turf Moor game enthusiast, was one of the students who attended the workshop.
he said: I watched him at a Burnley match and now I actually have to meet him in person. He is really kind and down to earth. He’s so famous that I thought he didn’t care much about us, but he asked us questions and gave us all a fair chance to talk to him. gave me
“I asked him if he was feeling insecure before the Blackburn game as it would be a big rivalry. I said
“Even top professional soccer players show they’re experiencing similar emotions as us, so it helps.” It’s helpful to hear how he’s coped and found success over the years.
Burnley’s Mental Wellbeing Project is an early intervention program in seven schools in the region, with staff on hand to support students with anxiety and stress.
“Talking about mental health is really important,” explained Michael Colquhoun, director of community projects at Burnley in the Community. “A problem shared within a group is a problem halved.
“Students are really open to talking about it, and I think it’s becoming more common. We had some amazing questions about how we were dealing with it, and Vincent was very candid in his answers, and the impact he’s made today is phenomenal.
“The club invests in what we do in the community, so we’re really lucky here.”
