In 2024, Racing WA introduced a four-part compulsory junior driver training program and on Thursday, July 10 the Driving Forward Education Program presented their Mental Health seminar at Pinjarra, with guest speakers Barry Hamilton and Brayden Ainsworth from the Happiness Co.
The Happiness Co, is a dedicated mental health organisation creating positive impact through support and guidance, with guest speaker Brayden Ainsworth a Youth Mental Health Team Leader and former AFL player for the West Coast Eagles.
Now an advocate for young adults, Ainsworth is committed to fostering individuals with the tools to embrace their authentic selves and build lives rooted in resilience, connection and purpose, said Racing WA’s Racing Training Manager.
Speaking through their own experiences and struggles, Brayden discussed his own personal battles and how he dealt with the pressures involved in his career and also the pressures he felt throughout his early life, hoping to better enable to young drivers of WA.
“He (Brayden Ainsworth) gave such a powerful speech yesterday based on his firsthand experiences about how embracing vulnerability and building strong connections could turn challenges into growth.
“He told his story about growing up in his household and the pressure he had to be someone that everyone expected him to be, which contributed to body image issues, social pressures, and the need for acceptance.
“Feeling like a failure, the highs and lows of his craft and how he overcomes while still battling them through strategies, support from others and self-belief.”
Racing WA’s Driving Mentor Aldo Cortopassi made mention that Thursday session was incredibly beneficial for the young drivers of WA, with the pressure and torment of social media so prevalent in today's society, an issue that he did not have to deal with when he was coming through the driving school in his younger years.
“When I looked around the room, every set of eyes was firmly on Brayden, they were really invested in what he was saying.
“I spoke with most of them afterwards, and the feedback from them all was great and that was what we wanted, just to give them some skills moving forward to handle the pressures of racing, and not just the pressures of racing, but the pressures outside of racing.
“Especially these days of social media, there is nowhere to hide. When I first started, the biggest thing we had was a drunk hanging over the fence and giving us a cook, these guys have it relentlessly, random messages from people.
“But just letting them know they’re not alone with it, and there are people out there to help.” Aldo Cortopassi said.
The next session is scheduled for October 15, with Stewards Inquiries the focus, with Cortopassi hoping to help the drivers deal with steward room pressure and everything that goes on in a steward’s inquiry on race night.
“We will be conducting some mock steward inquiries to bring them up to speed on how to speak in a steward’s room and how to conduct themselves.”
