It's #MensHealthWeek 2020 and time to start #RestoringTheBalance ...

 

We’re now only days away from International Men's Health Week (MHW), which begins on Monday 15th June and runs until Sunday 21st June 2020 (Father’s Day).

2020 has been an exceptional year in many ways.  As the island of Ireland emerges from, what might be, the first wave of COVID-19, individuals across the country are trying to re-build their lives, relationships, jobs, finances, physical health, emotional resilience, connections and routines.  Some people are still living with trauma and bereavement.  Others are having to re-focus their priorities and to find new ways of living.  Everyone's mental health has been impacted to some degree, and there is a need to find some new form of stable, realistic and relevant equilibrium - at least in the short-term.  However, as these have been almost unprecedented times, this process is likely to be slow, gradual and incremental.

This is why the theme chosen for Men's Health Week 2020 on the island of Ireland is 'Restoring the Balance'.  To make this happen, everyone needs to ‘be part of the solution’, and to do something practical to improve both their own health and the health of the men and boys that they have contact with.

As always, the overarching aims of MHW are to:

- Heighten awareness of preventable health problems for males of all ages.
- Support men and boys to engage in healthier lifestyle choices and activities.
- Encourage the early detection and treatment of health difficulties in males.

However, any and all activities / actions to mark this occasion are very welcome.

To find out more about the week, visit: www.mhfi.org/mhw/mhw-2020.html

Not everybody knows yet about Men’s Health Week (MHW), what it hopes to do, why it needs to happen, or how they can get involved.  That’s why there is a MHW 2020 ‘Toolbox for Action’.  This Q&A style resource can be downloaded at: www.mhfi.org/mhw2020toolbox.pdf

There’s no denying that the state of men’s health on the island of Ireland is often poor.  However, there are things which can be done to change this situation and men, themselves, can play a key role in doing this.  A free, 32 page, Man Manual (based upon the ‘Haynes Manual’ model) is being distributed by the Men’s Health Forum in Ireland (MHFI) to mark Men’s Health Week 2020.   This poses ten simple and practical health challenges to men and, to meet every challenge, it offers three choices.

Almost all of the 15,000 hard copies of this manual have now been given out, but a small number still remain.  In the Republic of Ireland, hard copies can be ordered online via the HealthPromotion.ie website at www.healthpromotion.ie   In Northern Ireland, they can be ordered from the Men's Health Forum in Ireland via the contact form.  Electronic copies can be downloaded by clicking here.

The publication of this booklet has only been possible because of the generous support given by the Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland, the Health Promotion and Improvement Department within the Health Service Executive in the Republic of Ireland, and the author - Dr Ian Banks.

To promote #MensHealthWeek (MHW) 2020, a bespoke poster has been designed.  The 'face' of MHW this year is a father and son - Chris and Ethan Smylie - from Belfast.  Anyone who has ever learned to ride a bike will appreciate that it's all about GETTING THE BALANCE right.  However, to get the confidence to do this, you need the support and assistance of people around you that you can trust and rely on.  Chris and Ethan really capture this relationship in their photograph!

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic - and the limited opportunities to place posters in public places this year - the posters are only available as online electronic files (in a range of sizes and formats suitable for a variety of uses).  Copies of these online electronic resources can be downloaded from: www.mhfi.org/mhw/mhw-image-pack.html#Poster2020

Even people who don't have time to do anything else for MHW 2020 are encouraged to print off and put up a poster (in their workplace, home window or elsewhere) to let everyone know when it is taking place.  Although this costs little to do, it could make a big difference to promoting the week!

Every year there are hundreds (possibly even thousands) of events and activities throughout Ireland to celebrate Men’s Health Week (MHW).  Some of these are well publicised, but most are only known about by a few people.  As in previous years, the Men's Health Forum in Ireland (MHFI) will have a section on its website to promote the details of any activities or events that are being held throughout Ireland during Men’s Health Week 2020.  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.

COVID-19 has meant that many traditional MHW face-to-face events (e.g. health checks, conferences, launches, games, seminars, competitions, workshops, lunches, training courses, performances, displays, health fairs ...) cannot take place this year.  However, many groups across Ireland are being creative and innovative about how they can engage with / support men.

Whatever it is you have planned, if you would like to have the details included on this website, please complete and submit a MHW Event Form at: www.mhfi.org/mhw/promote-an-event.html  Other submission options are available at: www.mhfi.org/mhw/mhw-2020.html#TellOthers

Absolutely everyone can do something to support and celebrate Men’s Health Week (MHW) 2020.  The focus for this year (i.e. ‘Restoring the Balance’) lends itself to a wide range of ways to mark this occasion.  However, you don’t have to stick rigidly to this particular topic.  Anything which encourages men and boys to lead healthier lifestyles, to be more aware of preventable health problems, and to seek early detection and treatment for health difficulties will be very welcome.

There are many simple, free and easy ways to get involved / show support.  There is a common logo / image pack which can be used by everyone who wishes to raise awareness of MHW.  There is also a MHW 2020 poster and postcard.  These are important promotional tools - as one of the key aims is to let as many people as possible know about the week.  These are available to anyone who wishes to use them at: www.mhfi.org/mhw/mhw-image-pack.html

Promotion of MHW could take the form of:

• (a)  Putting a Men’s Health Week poster (or two or three) up in your workplace / local shop / waiting room / home ...  and/or printing-off and sending the MHW postcard to people you know.
• (b)  Promoting the week on your website - using a copy of the Men’s Health Week logo or badge or banner.
• (c)  Linking to the Men’s Health Forum in Ireland’s web page devoted to Men’s Health Week 2020 (www.mhfi.org/mhw/mhw-2020.html) from your own website, Facebook page or other social networking site.
• (d)  Sending an email to everyone on your mailing list to tell them about Men’s Health Week, and asking them to forward the message to all their contacts.  Why not also insert the MHW logo into your outgoing emails during June?
• (e)  Becoming a fan of the Men’s Health Week in Ireland’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/MensHealthWeek) and sending this link to all your online friends.
• (f)  Including information on Men’s Health Week 2020 in your mailouts / newsletters.
• (g)  Telling others about what is happening in your area during Men’s Health Week by posting details on the MHFI website.  Use the form at: www.mhfi.org/mhw/promote-an-event.html
• (h)  Making one of the Men’s Health Week 2020 graphics your computer desktop ‘wallpaper’ during June.
• (i)  Reminding your colleagues to follow all the latest news on Twitter (www.twitter.com/MensHealthIRL).
• (j)  Posting / Tweeting about the week using the pool of ready-made resources  and including #MensHealthWeek and #RestoringTheBalance in your message.
• (k)  Using the MHW Facebook Cover Photo or Twitter Header Image on your social media pages and feeds ...

Doing one or more of these simple (and free) things would contribute hugely to MHW 2020!

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) 2020, 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 on the days leading up to it.  These are ...

• Friday 12th June:  It’s Almost Time - Men’s Health Week: Restoring the Balance
• Saturday 13th June:  Staying Connected During and After Loss - maintains our sense of balance
• Sunday 14th June:  Food - it’s easy to strike a balance
• Monday 15th June:  Mental Fitness - it’s always a balancing act
• Tuesday 16th June:  Heart Health - have you got the balance right?
• Wednesday 17th June:  Cancer Prevention - is about creating balance
• Thursday 18th June:  Quit Smoking - restore the body’s balance
• Friday 19th June:  Rethink what you Drink - get the balance right
• Saturday 20th June:  Physical Activity - restores your overall balance
• Sunday 21st June:  Fathers - help their children to become balanced adults

Social media (especially Facebook and Twitter) has become a powerful tool for organisations to spread their message.  During Men’s Health Week 2020, everyone is encouraged to ‘Post’ and ‘Tweet’ about it and, when possible, to use the hashtags: #MensHealthWeek and #RestoringTheBalance

For those people who would like to support MHW 2020 using their own social media channels - but who don't have the time, energy or knowledge to develop their own messages - there is a document which offers a range of Posts and Tweets that you can simply cut-and-paste from.  There are lots of message options presented for each day of MHW, and these relate to the theme for that day.  Everyone is invited to use them all, or simply pick and choose the ones that suit themselves / their organisation / their location.  You can download these suggestions at: www.mhfi.org/Tweets2020.pdf

Even loading a few things to websites / Facebook pages / Twitter feeds / Instagram / other social media platforms will make a huge difference to publicising the week.  This is, therefore, a really easy and free way to show support for MHW.