Collective Leisure  (CL) in collaboration with Sydney Sports Management Group (SSMG) has launched 3 x 12 week pilot tennis mental health program, where we will be using tennis as a vehicle to help those in the community, irrespective of age, gender or ethnicity, suffering or suffered with mental health issues. The program is supported by Tennis NSW and has received grant support from the Department of Sport through the ATP Cup Legacy Fund.

We want to help communities rebuild social capital and provide services for those that need most support, especially in the wake of Covid-19. It is well documented how sport breaks down barriers particularly for marginalised communities.

Participants will benefit from a free weekly 2-hour session that will include tennis coaching that integrates the learning outcomes below and time to connect and socialise with other players over free tea and coffee.

The pilot launched on Monday 22^nd March 2021 at Randwick City Councils, Heffron Park Tennis Centre.

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At SSMG we believe in order to deliver long term health and wellness impacts a partnership approach is required. Therefore, we have partnered with Collective Leisure in the development and delivery of SMASH – a mental well-being initiative designed to support those living with a mental illness.

SSMG is affiliated with Tennis NSW and is unlocking Local Government Authority community recreation assets to improve the health and wellness of the community.

SSMG will provide access to courts and tennis coaches and Collective Leisure has developed the program and will deliver each session and measure the impact and the initiative has had on the participants mental well-being.

Richard Price
CEO SSMG

Taking a systems approach and creating partnerships to enable well-being without boundaries is at the heart of Collective Leisure. Thanks to the ATP Cup Legacy Fund we’ve partnered with SSMG, Tennis NSW, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District and others to design and deliver Smash Tennis – a mental well-being initiative.

One in five of us will experience a mental illness in any year and with Covid we haven’t fully realised how many more people have been impacted. This initiative brings together the benefits of physical activity, connection, being in the outdoors and other practices from our wheel of well-being, to support people recovering from a mental illness.

David Burns 
Founder & CEO