Men’s health issues and needs are numerous and complicated.  So much so, that we could probably assign a different one to highlight on each day of the year and still have an outstanding pool of ones to explore!  However, when preparing for Men’s Health Week (MHW) 2023, the all-island Planning Group felt that it would be useful to draw attention to a specific theme on each day during the week, as well as announce the final countdown to MHW during the week before.

The focus of each day will be ...

• Friday 9th June:  What's your 'Picture of Health'? - be the man you want to be
• Monday 12th June:  Trash the ash
• Tuesday 13th June:  Prevention is better than cure
• Wednesday 14th June:  Food for thought
• Thursday 15th June:  What do you depend on?
• Friday 16th June:  Mental fitness
• Saturday 17th June:  Let’s get physical - be more than a sports spectator
• Sunday 18th June:  Fathers Day - the important role of fathers in their children's lives

Social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok) offers a powerful tool for organisations to spread their message.  During Men’s Health Week 2023, everyone is encouraged to ‘Post’ and ‘Tweet’ about it and, when possible, to use the hashtags: #MensHealthWeek  |  #ThePictureOfHealth

To support this, a range of social media graphics are also available.
 
For those people who would like to support MHW 2023 using their own social media channels - but who don't have the time, energy or knowledge to develop their own messages - a ready-made pool of Posts and Tweets that you can simply cut-and-paste from will be available online just before the week begins.  Keep an eye to www.mhfi.org/mhw/mhw-2023.html#Tweet for more details closer to the week.

Even loading a few things to social media platforms makes a huge difference to publicising the week.  This is, therefore, an easy and free way to show support for MHW.

To keep everyone up-to-date with the latest news on Men’s Health Week (MHW) 2023 - as well as more general developments in the field of men’s work - check out Facebook (www.facebook.com/MensHealthWeek) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/MensHealthIRL).

However, as all social networkers know, pages such as these are no use unless they have a lot of Fans / Followers.  That’s where your help is needed! ...  Don’t forget to send the links to all your friends.  If you’re really into it, please Tweet about MHW 2023 yourself, and include the hashtags #MensHealthWeek and #ThePictureOfHealth in your messages.

Workplaces directly influence the physical, mental, economic and social wellbeing of workers and in turn, the health of their families, communities and society.  With more than two million people employed in the Republic of Ireland, the workplace offers an ideal setting and infrastructure to support the promotion of health to a large audience.  Healthy Ireland, within the Department of Health, has just launched a new website which aims to be the one-stop-shop for everything you need to make your workplace a healthy workplace.  Visit it at: https://healthyworkplace.ie

Are you interested in engaging more men in your service? ...  If so, you might want to check out the free 'Engage - Connecting with Men' workshop which is taking place on Thursday 15th June 2023 in Longford.  This interactive event will run from 9.30am until 4.30pm.  The aim of this workshop is to assist a broad range of practitioners and service providers to explore the world of males, and to develop practical strategies for effectively engaging with them around health and wellbeing issues.  It focuses on the engagement process i.e. the why and how of building relationships with men.  For more information, or to register for a place, email Kathleen Pardy at: kathleen.pardy@hse.ie

Nexus supports individuals impacted by sexual abuse and abusive relationships in Northern Ireland.  They recently launched the P.A.C.E. Programme - a trauma-informed resilience and recovery programme for individuals, aged 18+, who identify as male at the point of referral and are survivors of one or more abusive relationships.  P.A.C.E. stands for: Patience, Acceptance, Connection and Empowerment.  Services include individual counselling, therapeutic peer support, an 8-week recovery programme and self-help resources.  The Programme may be suitable if you’ve been subjected to or impacted by emotional, financial, physical, psychological, sexual, technological and/or verbal abuse, and/or coercive and controlling behaviour from a current or former intimate partner, family member or carer.  Find out more at: nexusni.org/get-support/male-survivors-abusive-relationships or call 028 9032 6803.  The Programme may be suitable if you’re in the post-crisis, recovery stage of your journey.  If you’re in crisis, contact the Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline on 0808 802 1414 or via https://nexusni.org/helpline

Listen to the HSE Talking Health and Wellbeing Podcast Channel for interviews and insights on the work underway by HSE Health and Wellbeing and their partners to deliver the Healthy Ireland ambition of supporting, protecting and empowering individuals, families and their communities to achieve their full health potential: https://hsepodcasts.podbean.com

Have you seen the new report by the Samaritans titled 'An Open Secret: Self-Harm and Stigma in Ireland and Northern Ireland'.  If not, have a look at: https://tinyurl.com/2t66sj73

The proven health benefits of physical activity and the consequences of inactivity provide a compelling case for promoting physical activity across all ages and demographics.  However, little is known about how knowledgeable the adult population on the island of Ireland is about sources of information on these.  To address this gap, the Institute of Public Health commissioned a survey to explore knowledge of: the benefits of physical activity for mental and physical health; the risks to health of inactivity; physical activity recommendations; sources of information about the benefits of physical activity.  You can read the report at: https://tinyurl.com/2trdezpt