supporting and promoting male health and wellbeing cdhn networking event march 5 th 2009 the old...
TRANSCRIPT
“Supporting and Promoting Male Health and Wellbeing”
CDHN Networking event March 5th 2009
The Old Library Trust Creggan Health Living Centre
Michael Lynch
Men's “Health” “Issues”
The work of M.A.N A Brief History/overview
Support /Outreach
Networking /Advocacy
Creating male specific services
Challenge/lobby others to do same
Men's Health Week ~~Fathers Day
What are Men's Health/IssuesHolistic
Anything that effects Men's Health and Wellbeing
and has a unhealthy bearing on their
thinking ,emotions , behaviour.
Men die on average 5 years younger than women
Men complete suicide 4 to 5 times more often that women
Lifestyle/wellbeing ~~ choices and consequences
What are the issues that impact on Men's Health?
Any factor within personal ,family ,work ,social
or societal life that has an impact on wellbeing .
A holistic model of health The Men's SectorAssessing/highlighting the
needs/inequalities,Issues
Lobbying Government
What are some of the issues Research and data
Men as victims of domestic abuse.Male health needs and health-seeking behaviour.
Male underachievement in formal education.The important role of fathers in their children's
lives and how fatherlessness impacts upon children.
Homophobia and homophobic attacks.Men as both perpetrators and victims of violence.
The needs of rural men.
Employment
Enduring culture of the workplaceWork-life balance for men
Under-performance of boys at school impacts on and limits career choices.
Workplace terms and conditions
Health and Well-being
Male-specific issues/servicesPhysical Health
Sexual and Reproductive healthMental and Emotional health
PovertyUnder performance at school can limit future career
choices and, subsequently, income. Men in the lowest paid jobs (e.g. migrant workers) are
most likely to suffer poverty and to be ineligible for state benefits.
Males are the group most likely to be homeless.Separated fathers who leave the family home are very
likely to not be able to afford suitable accommodation and to suffer financial hardship.
Particularly vulnerable groups of men include: male lone parents, older men, rural men engaged in small-
holding agriculture and disabled men.
Education and trainingBoys are increasingly under-performing at school
Career advice for all school pupils is inadequate.
Secondary education has placed much more emphasis upon academic qualifications
The school curriculum does not (usually) cover important life skills for boys
Demise of quality, structured, apprenticeships
Shortage of male teachers
Men are missing from the programmes of most adult education providers
Decision-makingThere is a need for male champions of gender-
sensitive decision-making.
While many of the key decision-makers in Northern Ireland are male, there are few
working class men in these positions. The key protagonists are, therefore, not representative
of males generally.
There are very few examples of young men being involved in decision-making processes.
Violence and crimeMost prisoners are male
Domestic abuse is a major concern for our societyYoung men, moving from the Juvenile Justice
System to adult institutions, are very vulnerable and at risk of learning new criminal behavioursFalse allegations against non-resident fathers Men are the group most likely to be both the perpetrators and the victims of a violent attack
There are few programmes available for males who recognise their potentially out-of-control
behaviour and who wish to do something about it.
Boy childBoys “toughened-up“
Rites of passage Education is often seen as "something for
girls". Risk-taking behaviours
Non-traditional roles / careers.Our society often makes a default cultural assumption that all males are heterosexual.
Support to cope with life transitions
CaringFathers often insignificant "bread winner" or
disciplinarian.There is little practical support, skills training,
advice or father-specific information Involving fathers at every stage of their children's
livesEquality before the law in contested child
access/residency cases.Shortage of male staff in family support services
Lone fathers and CSAThe value of male carers
MediaThere is a lot of stereotyping of men in the
media. Men are mostly portrayed as violent, stupid,
incapable, insensitive, strong, sex-obsessed, heterosexual, heroes or villains ... The broader range of masculinities is rarely
alluded to.There are few positive images of / messages
about men portrayed in the media.
Peace and securityMales who have lived through the Troubles have
very limited opportunities to de-brief and make sense of what they have experienced.
Lack of specific support programmes for ex-paramilitaries (mostly male) to encourage the re-channelling/re-focusing of their experience and
skills in our post-conflict society.While men are often seen as the main players in the
Troubles, little is known about their important positive contribution to the peace process.
The Security Forces lack gender and diversity training.
Some Nuances of Men's Work
Recognising many men still work from generational stereotypes until experiencing an
alternative that works The need to value /validate men-and the work done with men
The need to promote “Strength of Choice” messages/thinking
To acknowledge each man is uniquely different
The work is often slow and person centred
Men are often looking for a “Quick Fix”
What are the Main Challenges for those wanting to engage with men
TO LISTENCost effectiveness –recourse implications
Learning how to engage with men
Awareness of gender dimensions
Men’s work should COMPLEMENT not CONFLICT with Women's Work /Health or resources
Applying Section 75 Gender Legislation
Finally