{jcomments off}If you are a father or male guardian of a boy(s) under 12 years of age, you are welcome to come along to a free two night course called “Raising Boys for Fathers”.  This course is designed to help you in your role as a father.  It will assist you to develop a strong relationship with your boy(s), as well as giving you practical examples of ways to help your son develop into a well-rounded and mature young man.  The course is facilitated by Health Promotion Services and the Primary Care Team.  It will take place from 8.00pm to 10.00pm in Belmullet, Co. Mayo (17th and 24th of January 2011) and in Crossmolina, Co. Mayo (31st of January and 7th of February 2011).  For more information or to book a place, please contact Paul Gillen, HSE West, on Tel: 091 548323.

{jcomments off}You are invited to attend the next meeting of the Men’s Policy Forum within NICVA.  This will take place on Wednesday 26th January 2011 in NICVA (61 Duncairn Gardens, Belfast  BT15 2GB) from 10.30am - 1.00pm.  You don’t need to be a policy expert to attend this group.  The Forum is open to anyone (male or female) who has an interest in men’s issues and needs.  The focus of this gathering will be “Male Victims of Domestic Abuse”, and there will be an opportunity to hear some of the findings from the recent research conducted in this area by the Men’s Advisory Project (MAP).  For more information and/or to confirm your attendance, please contact Cathy Breslin from NICVA at Tel: 02890 877777 or Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

{jcomments off}Is your organisation interested in developing work with fathers?  Do you ask yourself questions such as: Where do we start?  What is possible?  Who can help us?  What has been tried in other places?  Would you like training and ongoing support to achieve your goal? ...   If so, then "Kick Start" might help you!  Kick Start is an innovative initiative (coordinated by the Parenting Forum NI within Parents Advice Centre), which offers a package of training, support, reflection and practical action to organisations that are currently trying to, or wishing to, engage with fathers in Northern Ireland.  Applications are now invited for the next programme intake which begins in February 2011.  This is open to both male and female workers.  To apply for a place, contact Pauline Martin at Tel: 02890 310891 or visit: www.parentsadvicecentre.org/projects/mensproject/kickstart.asp   Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

{jcomments off}In December 2010, the HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme (formerly the Crisis Pregnancy Agency) released a new research report which captures the experiences, opinions and attitudes of a group of young men from lower socio-economic groups on the subjects of sexual activity, their roles as fathers, and how they view themselves as men.  These issues were discussed within the broader context of Irish society, cultural assumptions about fatherhood, and representations of young men and fathers in various media.  This report is available online in Portable Document Format (PDF) from: 
www.crisispregnancy.ie/pub/cpa-Nixon-Report.pdf

{jcomments off}The Men's Health Forum in Ireland is, currently, seeking applications for the role of Executive Officer (initially for one year), and is also inviting suitably experienced researchers to tender for a piece of work which will involve an evaluation of Men's Health Week 2011.  The closing date for the Executive Officer position is Monday 20th December 2010, while the closing date for the evaluator role is Monday 31st January 2011.

{jcomments off}Healthy Food for All has developed a Good Practice Guide for Community Food Initiatives which provides advice on how to set up community food projects that improve the consumption of healthy food amongst low-income groups.  Examples of community food initiatives include food cooperatives, community cafés, food-growing projects, breakfast and after-school clubs, and community-based training courses in nutrition and healthy eating.  Community Food Initiatives (CFIs) can combat food poverty by making good-quality, affordable food more accessible to local communities.  CFIs promote good health by making it easier for people to make healthy food choices.  They can also address gaps in dietary knowledge and skills, and improve the quality and extent of food availability in local areas.  For example, some community food initiatives assist local residents to grow their own fruit and vegetables, while others provide training for parents in how to prepare healthy family meals on a low budget.  For further information contact Georgina Buffini at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

{jcomments off}A “Men’s Shed” is any community-based, non-commercial organisation which is open to all men, and provides a safe, friendly and inclusive environment where men are able to gather and/or work on meaningful projects at their own pace, in their own time, and in the company of other men.  The primary objective is to advance the health and well-being of participants.  The Irish Men’s Sheds Forum is a small, voluntary group, who share enthusiasm for the development of Community Men’s Sheds in Ireland.  The Forum is supported by the Australian Men’s Shed Association - whose vision and work the Irish Forum wishes to adapt to our local situation.  It is hoped that, eventually, the Forum will facilitate the growth of a Men’s Sheds Organisation which will serve the whole island of Ireland.  More information can be found online at: www.menssheds.ie and this site also contains a large interactive discussion section.  The Irish Men’s Sheds Forum is meeting on Tuesday 7th December 2010, at the Tipperary Men’s Shed.  Everybody is welcome.  For more information about this meeting, the forum, or the website, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Irish Central Border Area Network (ICBAN) is holding a free seminar on Friday 10th December 2010, in the Sligo Park Hotel, Sligo.  This is a cross-border event which will explore the issue of unemployment and mental health, and aims to highlight the potential need for services to respond to the social exclusion of those living with mental ill-health in the region.  For more information, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Tel: 0044 2866 340717.
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