Positive Role models change lives
mentoring advocacy network
About MAN
Mentoring Advocacy Network (MAN) is a project to promote male role models while raising awareness of the negative effect a rigid view on masculinity has on men’s mental health.
Often, the term masculinity is associated with “toxicity” so we believe it needs a “detox” to break this fixed and rigid view of what a man is, should look like or behave like.
To break the cycle, we have created a campaign that inspires positive conversations around masculinity and its impact on mental health.
We believe masculinity is a spectrum, and mentoring and positive role models are powerful tools to point men towards various constructive and healthy ways to express masculinities.
There is no one size fits all solution in addressing this issue, but recognising differences in the lives of men and boys at different stages of life and from a range of communities is crucial.
Our world view
The way boys and men express their masculinity is important for their identity, mental health and their communities. A binary view of masculinity is “toxic” and often linked to poor mental health for men of all ages.
The norms around masculinity vary by race, social status and culture, and this impacts how one expresses their masculinity.
Mentoring and positive role models are powerful tools to point boys and men at multiple ways to express what it means to be a man, and in turn can reduce the risks of poor mental health, self-harm and isolation. They can in fact be empowered to live fuller, happier and healthier lives.
Mentoring led by positive role models reduces the risks of mental health, self-harm and isolation and empowers men to live fuller, happier and healthier lives.
#healthymasculinities
Campaign
We hosted a series of webinars to raise awareness of and engage on men’s issues.
We hosted a few successful webinars. The first one was on the effects toxic masculinity can have on men’s mental health on 19 November 2020. You can find out more about the event here. On 25 March 2021, we hosted another interactive men’s webinar on managing finances and mental health. The webinar provided practical advice on responding to financial and mental health pressures raised by the pandemic. You can find out more about the event here.
Although the focus of the webinars is on men’s issues, our events are open to everyone.
#healthymasculinities #mentalhealthmatters
On masculinity
- An ideal standard of masculinity can propel men towards suicide as a way of regaining control in the face of depression or other mental health problems.
- Due to men's views on masculinity, they are less likely to disclose their mental health issues to family or friends and are more likely to use harmful coping strategies in response to distress, e.g. drugs or alcohol.
- In England, men are less likely to access psychological therapies than women. Only 36% of referrals to NHS psychological therapies are men.
Lack of male role models
- Around 2.7m children have no father figure at home, 21% of all children.
- 90% of the single parents are women, unchanged over a decade.
- 21% of single parents are from a Black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) background, compared to 16% nationally.
- 75% of teachers in England are women, and there are more female than male teachers in every ethnic group.
All the above data refers to the UK, except is says otherwise, referencing the most recent reports.
Recent blog posts we published to raise awareness on men’s issues
Is wellbeing for men? – guest blogger Dr. Andrew Parnham
Three things stood out in ‘Nowhere special’ about manhood
The idea of male vulnerability is so so so ancient
Loneliness shouldn’t be a stigma and six tips what to do about it
What’s healthy about masculinity? (This article is meat-free)
The Spectrum of Masculinity – The Toxic End
Other RESOURCES WE PUT TOGETHER TO RAISE AWARENESS OF MEN’S ISSUES:
Check out our infographic on men’s issues here.
You can support us to promote #healthymasculinity and positive male role models by donating whatever amount you can give here or the link below.
Your support will play a crucial part in enabling us to have the necessary resources to build a solid social media campaign, secure speakers for the event in November and much more.
Get Involved
Get in touch to learn how you can get involved, what we do or just to say hello.
