Aware NI is offering two of their workshops online in the New Year: (i) ‘Mood Matters’ is a light and interactive, two hour, mental health awareness training session which offers participants an opportunity to think about how to look after their own mental health.  It explores mental health stereotypes, and looks more closely at how to spot the early signs of mental health issues.  This session also teaches participants: coping skills for everyday life; how to avoid getting caught in a vicious circle; how to break unhelpful habits; and where to get further help and support.  For more information, see: https://aware-ni.org/mood-matters-for-adults   (ii) ‘Living Life to the Full’ (six weeks by two hours per week) looks more closely at the ways in which mental health can be impacted by life events and unhelpful thinking styles - which may then also affect our physical health and overall enjoyment of life.  This programme explores a different topic each week.  Find out more at: https://aware-ni.org/living-life-to-the-full

The purpose of this report was to examine messages about masculinity present in popular television programming among boys aged seven to thirteen.  Much of the existing research on gender representation in children’s television has focused on girls and women.  However, far less is known about depictions of masculinity in contemporary children’s programming.  Media representations of masculinity have real world effects on the wellbeing and behaviour of boys and men, and can impact their beliefs/behaviours.  Media has the power to challenge limiting masculine norms in ways that support men’s reduced engagement in violence and self-injurious behaviours, and improve their health and happiness.  Download the report at: https://promundoglobal.org/resources/if-he-can-see-it-will-he-be-it-representations-of-masculinity-in-boys-television

COVID-19 has had a devastating effect upon all of us - and, for some, more than others.  Living Well Together (Newry, Mourne and Down Community Planning Partnership) want to help people who are out of work to get back in, but recognise that they need to find better ways of doing this for more people.  Many old jobs won’t be coming back, but new opportunities will come forward.  More people will need to re-train and develop new skills, but fewer men take up opportunities in education and re-training.  'What Works for Men?' is an initiative which seeks to ask men about the things that can help to get them into work, and to design better local support services.  Men are invited to: complete surveys; share their ideas and stories; join a discussion forum.  To find out more, visit: www.livingwelltogethernmd.org

Currently, there are few studies which examine the experiences of male victims of coercive control.  Deborah Powney and Prof Nicola Graham-Kevan of the University of Central Lancashire have, therefore, launched a new international survey - translated into several languages - exploring this area.  Their survey aims to evaluate the experiences of male victims arising from psychological, emotional, financial and sexual coercion.  Details on the survey can be accessed at: https://uclan.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6rEoyAUolAUn8SV

In this new project, Gemma Carney and Paula Devine (from ARK) are working with Jane Lugea (School of Arts, English and Languages at Queen's University Belfast) to investigate how the language of contemporary fiction represents the minds of characters with dementia.  The research includes mind style analysis of fictional texts, to explore how the language represents the cognitive experience of these characters i.e. their mind styles.  A series of reading groups will investigate how readers respond to these mind styles.  Find out more at: https://blogs.qub.ac.uk/dementiafiction

Coping after someone you care about has been sent to prison can be very distressing.  Families can be affected in all kinds of different ways.  Typical of the challenges to be faced are: coming to terms with this situation, and needing support and advice in coping with this new reality; dealing with the complex mixture of feelings and emotions experienced, as well as the financial, social and parenting issues which arise; getting to know how the prison system operates; maintaining contact and a sense of relationship; planning for release ...  Situated in Dublin, New Directions is a new initiative which aims to offer a free, confidential, information and support service for families affected by imprisonment.  It offers a listening ear and emotional support to help families with the challenges that they face.  Services are provided by trained and experienced staff in a safe and welcoming environment.  Find out more at: http://familiesofprisoners.ie

The Men's Health Forum in Ireland (MHFI) was established in response to the growing recognition of the need to address the poor health status of males in Ireland.  However, one of the first challenges facing it was to gain access to reliable data upon which to plan future interventions.  This remains an ongoing concern - as the Forum seeks to work in an evidence informed way.

This barrier was, initially, overcome when MHFI launched its seminal ‘Men’s Health in Ireland’ report in January 2004 (www.mhfi.org/fullreport.pdf).  This document provided the most comprehensive overview of key statistics on men's health on the island of Ireland ever collated up to that time.  

To mark its twenty-first birthday in 2020, the Forum undertook ‘Men’s Health in Numbers’.  Funded by the Health Service Executive’s Health and Wellbeing Division, this sought to produce:

1. A comprehensive Trends Report that describes, in detail, changes in significant markers of men’s health on the island of Ireland in the last twenty years.
2. An infographically-driven Men’s Health Report Card that provides a lay person’s synopsis of contemporary key men’s health statistics in the Republic of Ireland.

These were officially launched at a webinar on Thursday 10th December 2020.

In early 2021, an Northern Irish version of the Report Card (funded by Belfast Health and Social Care Trust Carers' Support Service) was added to this body of work.

You are invited to download a free copy of each at:

• Men's Health in Numbers: Trends Report -  https://www.mhfi.org/MensHealthInNumbers1.pdf
• Men's Health in Numbers: Irish Report Card  - https://www.mhfi.org/MensHealthInNumbers2.pdf
• Men's Health in Numbers: Northern Ireland Report Card - https://www.mhfi.org/MensHealthInNumbers3.pdf

 A full recording of the launch is available on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/WwHZdF2OQLg

 

 

 

International Men's Day (IMD) takes place on the 19th of November each year.  This day offers an opportunity for everyone to celebrate the important contribution that men and boys make to their families, friends, communities, workplaces, society and the world.  However, it is also a time to highlight some of the key issues facing males, and to provide practical support and positive encouragement to overcome these.

To mark IMD 2020, HSE Health and Wellbeing - supported by the Men’s Health Forum in Ireland and the Centre for Men’s Health in IT Carlow - is organising a webinar which explores the impact of COVID-19 upon the health and wellbeing of men and boys. Titled 'Men's Mental Health in these Challenging Times', this free event will: begin at 11.00am; look at issues such as farming, older men and young men; include a mix of presentations, personal experiences and discussion.

If you would like to participate, visit: https://ims.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_QlnhU5CZSMaI9QhEyrkF1Q