The five Northern Ireland Drug and Alcohol Coordination Teams (NIDACTs), alongside the Public Health Agency (PHA), would like to invite you to apply for grants of up to £500 (maximum of two per organisation) to develop and run events and or initiatives in support of 'Dry January' / 'Feel Good February' 2017.  The focus of Dry January is to support and encourage people to totally abstain from drinking alcohol for that whole month by providing alcohol related information, advice, support, and suggesting or providing alcohol-free leisure and social alternatives.  Feel Good February seeks to support and encourage people who have participated in Dry January to maintain some of the good habits or alternatives that they have put in place.  Applications should be made by completing the short online application form at: www.drugsandalcoholni.info/dryjanuary   The deadline for submissions is 4.00pm on Friday 9th December 2016.

Cancer Research UK has funded a study of HPV vaccination in young adult men who have sex with men (MSM). One part of this study involves an online survey of healthcare professionals potentially involved in MSM vaccination (e.g. sexual health clinicians, nurses, GPs etc.).  If you are one of these people, the researchers would like you to consider completing their survey or circulating the link to anyone who you think it might be relevant to.  This survey can be found at: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/HealthcareProf

There has been growth in prison populations globally in recent decades.  As a consequence, we now see an unprecedented rise in the number of children who experience parental imprisonment.  Although there is considerable focus on imprisoned mothers, there is limited knowledge or understanding of the needs, experiences or effective responses to fathers and their children - despite men making up the vast majority of the prison population.  'Child Care in Practice' intends to publish a special edition focused on responding to the needs of children whose fathers are imprisoned, and papers are welcomed from a range of disciplines.  Authors considering contributing a paper to this special edition should submit a 250 word abstract summarising the title, author(s), focus and main points of the article by Monday 6th February 2017 to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  Guidelines for authors on the preparation of Abstracts are available at: http://journalauthors.tandf.co.uk/preparation/writing.asp

The Helplines Network NI warmly invites you to the launch of the first Northern Ireland Helplines Awareness Day.  This will commence at 10.00am on Monday 6th February 2017 in Belfast City Hall.  This event is aimed at stakeholders across public, private, statutory, community, voluntary, advice, health and social care sectors.  Guests will be able to find out about the extensive range of helplines providing support, advice and information to the public across Northern Ireland.  To register for a place or get further information, please email Liz McGrath at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

'Something of Who I Am' is an exhibition which uses objects to take you on the journey of life - as negotiated by six people living in Northern Ireland.  In each case, you will see a selection of objects which six participants (aged 61 to 80 years) have volunteered as offering some insight into a significant moment or memory on the ‘vapour trail of life’.  The project is anchored in the work of Booker Prize winning novelist Penelope Lively.  In 2014, Lively published a memoir titled 'Ammonites and Leaping Fish: a life in time'.  In the final chapter, Lively chooses six objects which ‘articulate something of who I am’.  This exhibition seeks to communicate the rich perspective that is provided by living a long life, and challenges us all to think about our future older selves.  The exhibition will run in The Gallery (1st floor), Crescent Arts Centre, 2-4 University Road, Belfast, BT7 1NH from Thursday 8th December to Thursday 15th December 2016.  For opening hours, please visit: www.ark.ac.uk/ap/lively/some-thing-of-who-i-am

The Northern Ireland Veterans’ Health and Wellbeing Study is a large scale tri-service (Navy, Army, RAF) research project which seeks to provide an evidence base about the support veterans receive once they leave the Armed Forces.  The research will examine what veterans’ current and future needs may be by using face-to-face interviews and by asking veterans to complete an online questionnaire.  The research team (from Ulster University in partnership with the NI Veterans’ Support Committee) is inviting veterans / ex-Service personnel living in Northern Ireland to complete an anonymous two-minute survey at: http://tinyurl.com/gsbg82z  All the information that is collected will be treated as confidential and anonymous.  If you have any questions, or are interested in getting involved, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Tel: 02870 124872.

Ireland was the first country in the world to adopt a National Men’s Health Policy, and other countries are now building upon the pioneering spirit and practical learning from the Irish experience.  The term of this Policy ended in 2013, and was followed by an independent review of its impact.  This review recommended that the momentum and progress which had already been achieved should be continued, and that future work should align itself closely to the ‘Healthy Ireland’ framework for action.  On Wednesday 30th November 2016, a Men's Health Symposium in Dublin launched the new Action Plan (titled: ‘Healthy Ireland - Men 2017-2021’) which will succeed Ireland’s National Men’s Health Policy.  You can view a PDF copy of this document at: www.mhfi.org/HI-M.pdf

The Men’s Development Network is inviting you to come and hear about men who care, and why and how.  They will do this at an event to mark International Men’s Day (Saturday 19th November 2016) in the Clarence Hotel, Dublin, from 11.00am- 3.00pm.  The event will focus on the White Ribbon Campaign (in preparation for International White Ribbon Day on the 25th of November) and the ensuing United Nations' 16 Days of Action Against Violence Against Women.  In the morning, there will be a range of brief interactive inputs and, in the afternoon, you will be asked to join in the conversation via creative discussion groups following an inspirational input.  To confirm your attendance / find out more, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Tel: 051 844260.