Movember partner with Génération 2024 to improve mental fitness for young athletes

We're excited to share the roll-out of our evidence-based programme, Movember Ahead of the Game (MAOTG), in Paris this November thanks to the support of Generation 2024 and Académie de Paris as part of the Paris Olympics legacy programme.

So what is Ahead of the Game?

MAOTG is a mental health literacy and resilience programme that will educate young players, (aged 12 to 18 years) and their support networks (parents, coaches, and club volunteers) on the importance of mental health. Teaching them how to spot the signs of poor mental health, how to talk about mental health challenges, and how and when to seek help. MAOTG equips participants to navigate life’s challenges both on and off the field.

The programme was delivered by eight facilitators including current, former elite athletes and sports teachers to improve the mental health literacy of 1,000 young people across 25 sports academies in Paris. Rugby league players, Kevin Larroyer and Louis Jouffret, who both play for Halifax Panthers in England and have represented France, are leading the programme having worked on its roll out in the UK.

Kevin Larroyer shares:

“It's important to provide this education to as many kids as possible, in order to break down the stigma we have around mental health – so it’s fantastic that we're able to expand Ahead of the Game to France.”

MAOTG was developed by leading experts from the University of Wollongong in Australia and is, to our knowledge, the only evidence-based youth mental health literacy programme of its kind in the world. The mental health literacy components of this programme are backed by a five year international programme of scientific evidence.

Find out more on Movember Ahead of the Game and learn about how and why the programme works to improve mental health outcomes for young people.