Providence, a not-for-profit health system serving the Western United States, has joined forces with the Sounders Football Club, Seattle’s Major League Soccer franchise.
This collaboration has brought together two forward-thinking, community-oriented companies that believe in having a deliberate, meaningful impact on the area of youth mental health and wellness.
The community of Renton is home to the Sounders FC Centre, Seattle Sounders FC’s new state-of-the-art training facility set to be completed in 2024. Renton is located approximately 18 kilometres south of Seattle with a school district serving over 15,000 young people, making this partnership ever the more critical.
The union between Sounders FC and Providence was recently announced at Renton High School, one of the nine high schools located in the Renton vicinity.
Renton High School was deliberately selected to be the location of the announcement in order to highlight the introduction of a collaborative and thoughtful relationship between the two organisations and the Renton school district. Through research, it has been made aware that schools are one of the most effective forums for providing consistent and accessible behavioural health services to children and adolescents.
Working together with district leaders, Sounders FC and Providence will develop, implement, and provide support for a variety of programming and services focused on ways to improve mental health for young people.
With the big surge in mental health-related issues since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Providence and Seattle Sounders FC understand the seriousness of considering innovative ways to tackle this devastating crisis.
According to 2021 research, during the pandemic, 37 percent of high school students reported experiencing poor mental health and 44 percent reported persistently feeling sad or hopeless. This data backs up the idea that something ought to be done about creating healthier communities.
This partnership will strive to develop these communities by empowering youth, using health education, physical activity, preventative medicine and access to resources. The collaboration with the Renton school district will ensure that investments are applied where and how they are most needed.
The overall goal of the collaboration between these organisations is to address mental wellbeing for students in the Renton School District. In seeing this goal come to fruition, intentions may include:
- Increasing access to school-based mental health services.
- Creating educational programs designed to support awareness of mental health concerns.
- Normalising the conversation surrounding mental health, reducing the stigma around it, and promoting resources available through Providence, the Renton School District, and other partners.
- Implementing safe spaces for children to play.
- Conducting sports camps that include mental wellbeing curricula.
- Maintaining a culture within local area schools to help every child prioritise their mental wellbeing and be equipped to support their peers.
These services are ongoing and part of a long-term commitment by Sounders FC and Providence, addressing the issue of mental health amongst youth.
As part of the partnership announcement at Renton High School – students, Sounders FC players and others in attendance all took a pledge to help support mental health awareness. They encourage the community to do the same.
Also involved in this partnership are the jersey front rights for all Sounders FC home and away kits. Providence is becoming just the third jersey partner in the club’s MLS history to be showcased on the front of the players’ kits.
Additionally, physicians from Providence Swedish will serve as team doctors, working together with the club’s sports medicine staff, providing state-of-the-art care to assist players in managing acute injuries, maximising rehabilitation and training, preventing injuries and navigating general health needs.
Providence was first highlighted on the kits of the Sounders FC during the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco, when they became the first MLS team in history to compete in the tournament.
