{jcomments off}The Men’s Health Forum in Ireland (MHFI) is, currently, undertaking research into the high rate of suicide among boys and young men on the island of Ireland.  The research is being jointly funded by the Public Health Agency and the National Office for Suicide Prevention.  The purpose of the research is to develop and share best practice on how to promote positive models of mental health and to prevent suicide in this target group.  MHFI is asking for your help with this initiative.

A central component of this research is a questionnaire that seeks the views and experiences of stakeholders in relation to mental health promotion and suicide prevention activities on the island of Ireland.  The questionnaire is particularly focused on organisations' experiences of the challenges and barriers when working with young men.  The findings from the questionnaire will be used to inform the design of a follow-up intervention and will, on conclusion of the overall project, be disseminated back to stakeholders as part of an overall report.

We would be extremely grateful if you would participate in this project.  To complete the survey, please click on the link below:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Suicidepreventioninyoungmensini

Please be assured of absolute confidentiality and anonymity in completing the survey.  Although we are asking for the name of your organisation, findings from the survey will be collated without reference to any specific organisation.  We greatly value your input, and appreciate the time you take to complete the survey.  The survey will take 5 - 10 minutes to complete, and should be completed by 3rd June 2011.

If you would like to discuss any aspect of the survey, or to find out more about the Men’s Health Forum in Ireland, please feel free to contact Colin Fowler (Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Tel: 0044 751 9945261).

{jcomments off}Carlow Men's Health Project (CMHP) works to support vulnerable men in Carlow town and county to achieve optimum health and well being via a health promotion approach.  CMHP now wishes to establish a 'Men’s Shed' in Carlow town - in keeping with the Men’s Shed movement nationally (see www.menssheds.ie).  To achieve this goal, CMHP is issuing an invitation to tender for a coordinator for this initiative.  The tender will be awarded in May 2011, and it is envisaged that the successful applicant will carry out the work over a minimum of 2 days per week until 31st December 2011.  All tenders must be submitted, in writing, by 5.00pm on Friday 6th May 2011.  For more details click here (PDF file).

{jcomments off}Even if you don’t do anything else to support Men’s Health Week (MHW) this year, you can at least put up a poster to let everyone know when it’s taking place!  To highlight MHW 2011, local comedians Joe Rooney (Father Ted and Killinaskully) and Paul Tylak (Stew and Messers Tylak and Rooney) are starring in an Ireland-wide poster campaign to raise awareness of the week.  The message for men is very simple: “These are challenging times.  It’s no joke.  Let’s talk”.  The posters are available in hard copy (A3 size) and as electronic files (A4 size).  Details are available at: www.mhfi.org/mens-health-week-2011.html#Poster  To add an extra element of creativity, the Men’s Health Forum in Ireland (MHFI) will soon be inviting organisations and individuals to put on their thinking caps, and come up with captions for a special version of the poster.  This will seek to highlight some of the issues that men are facing at the minute.  More details will appear on the MHFI website soon.

{jcomments off}Men’s Health Week (MHW) will look very different this year.  For the first time in Ireland, there will be a common logo and an image pack which can be used, for free, by everyone who wishes to raise awareness of the week.  These are important promotional tools - as one of the key aims this year is to let as many people as possible know about the week.  The logo is available in a range of sizes and formats, there is a selection of web banners on offer, and there’s even a “We Support Men’s Health Week” image - for groups and individuals who want to be seen to be ‘doing their bit’!  Details of all of these can be found online at: www.mhfi.org/mens-health-week-image-pack.html

{jcomments off}To keep everyone up-to-date with the latest news on Men’s Health Week (MHW) 2011, the island-wide Planning Group for MHW has created a new Facebook page.  You can access this at:  www.facebook.com/MensHealthWeek   However, as all social networkers know, a page such as this is no use unless it has a lot of Fans - that’s where your help is needed!  Visit the page, click on the ‘LIKE’ button, and send the link to all your friends.

{jcomments off}The Men's Health Forum in Ireland (MHFI) has created a section on this website to promote the details of any activities or events that will be held throughout Ireland during Men’s Health Week 2011.  This will help everyone to find out what is happening during the week, where it will take place, and how to join in.  It will also give some recognition and publicity to all those groups across Ireland that are doing something for and with men.  Your activity might be health checks, or a conference, or a launch, or a game, or a seminar, or a competition, or a workshop, or a lunch, or a course, or a drama, or a display, or a health fair ...  Whatever it is, if you would like to have the details included on this website, please complete our registration form and return it by email to MHFI as soon as possible.

{jcomments off}‘Weigh to Men’s Health’ is a workshop hosted by the All-island Obesity Action Forum supported by Safefood and the Ulster Cancer Foundation.  It will take place on Wednesday 8th June 2011, in the Stormont Hotel, Belfast, from 10.00am - 2.00pm.  The workshop will highlight that excess weight is a men’s health issue that needs to be recognised by men.  Presentations will discuss best practice in how to target men, and will provide examples of relevant projects on the island of Ireland and further afield.  The event will showcase the Ulster Cancer Foundation’s ‘ManAlive’ project - which is bringing life saving messages and health checks to men in the Southern Trust area of Northern Ireland.  The event will also facilitate networking and the sharing of information.  You can register online at: www.safefood.eu/en/Professional/Events/Weigh-to-Mens-Health

{jcomments off}Applications are invited for a two day training course on working with young fathers.  This training will take place on the 17th and 18th May 2011 in the Regional Education Centre, St. Brigid’s Complex, Ardee, Co. Louth.  It is being organised by the Teen Parents Support Programme (TPSP) and the Men’s Health Unit within the Health Service Executive Dublin / North East.  There is no charge for this training, and it is open to both men and women from across the island of Ireland.  All participants will receive a copy of the “Father Focus” Training Pack.  The closing date for applications is Friday 29th April 2011.  Telephone: 041 9875273 for more details.