jonathan bedloe - men’s health consultant - how to effectively engage with men
TRANSCRIPT
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Above are the themes I will discuss in the presenta7on.
• In my opening I men7oned a video cliip about a young men’s Haka for their teacher who died.
• I men7oned about the power and in7mida7ng aspect of this, but didn’t really men7on that I thought also the deep honour and respect shown was also very powerful and says a lot about men.
• Important also to think that in such a large group of young men there is clearly going to be great diversity. We need to teach young men to ensure they use their power for good, but as a society we need to recognise this power is there, and needs to be expressed.
• I also think that the sense of honour is something that appears very important. I think the approach we take to Family Violence as in the picture on the next slide, shames men very publically, which is understandable, but it puts men off engaging.
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Ingkintja Clinic (Male Health Centre) at Alice Springs Is this the 8me and place to engage men in this important topic?
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There are many expressions of Masculinity. Gay, blue collar, white collar, unemployed, hippy, SNAG, teenage, older and wider, older and not-‐so-‐wiser Masculinity is some7mes seen as a problem. Prison popula7on about 93% male Young Men’s mental health – 1 in 4 young men are experiences mental health concerns. Only about 25% seek help Costs $3Billion/year Australia But men are just people, and some people have problems Myths • Men don’t talk – story of the men’s shed bus • Men aren’t interested in their health – well they wont go to a Prostate Cancer Informa7on session unless they have prostate cancer. They aYend doctors etc at similar rates.
Society • Reduc7on in religious prac7ce
• Loss of a safe space for men to talk • Pub has become less friendly to male social connec7on
• Increase in media and informa7on and stereotyping of a certain masculinity
• Disposability of males (As wr^en about by Warren Farrell in the Myth of Male Power) • Suicide rates • men as the defenders and protectors • Workplace based accident and injury
• (how many men died building the big man made wonders?
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Equality and equity A way to go for women, and Feminism is supposed to be about equal opportunity for all Don’t think we have worked out men’s libera7on from the confines of society’s expecta7ons of men Embracing fatherhood and our role as carers (protectors) in modern society is where we need to focus. A conversa7on is needed about the posi7ve aspects of feminism for men.
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There is a lack of support for men in early fatherhood, and this is a golden opportunity to engage them in their own health and wellbeing. This guy looks like a dear caught in the headlights, but I think it kind of sums things up – he is at ease with holding his baby, and rela7vely natural even, but inside is going a hundred miles an hour, feeling like he has lost his once cool life, he’s loosing sleep as well, and feels like he doesn’t know what to do. (That’s what the picture says to me anyway)
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Technology • Manual labour shifing off shore
• Manual labour is minimized through technology
• Move to the service industries and roles that are tradi7onally female oriented roles
• Lack of value of men in caring roles, and the risks for men and community percep7ons of men in caring roles
Psychology • Male iden7ty strongly associated with work, this is where our social connec7ons are generally strongest • Removal from family upon the industrial revolu7on – we have not yet recovered from this and men (Steve Biddulph)
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Include men as part of planning team • Male inclusive approach to workplace
• Groupwork solu7ons • Mens Health Services • AIMHS ( see below for details) • University of Western Sydney – Men’s health Informa7on Resource Centre
• University of Newcastle – Family Ac7on Centre -‐ Fatherhood • Consult with men in the community about programs you want them to be involved with
• Include men in the delivery of the program • not to say women shouldn’t be a part of it, but it can easily look like women telling men what to do, and that may not work so well….
• Consider 7ming, loca7on, ac7vity • Camp fire models
• Develop trust, confiden7ality and respect • Don’t judge – accept men, and allow them
• Separate people from the problem • Normalize and model the behaviours you want to see
• Beyond Blues report into Male Social Connectedness
• Referrals – personal referrals are powerful for men, it helps to
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Value men and the work of male inclusion Build rela7onships and trust
recognise the value of informal help seeking – men suss things out – seek referrals from other mates Referral pathways – are crucial Be solu7ons focused with prac7cal hands on ac7vi7es programs. Eg; cooking classes for newly separated men, or men going into re7rement
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Acknowledge struggles with vulnerability Create Male friendly environments • inclusion – parents – include dads. (acknowledge the wider range of family types)
• Carers – 200 male carers in one municipality south of Hobart. -‐ ‘Pamper sessions’ were offered to carers in one area, but they do not appeal to men, at least not in that language
• Consult with men – ask them what they want and be genuinely open to doing the things they want.
• Time and place – think about extending opening hours of your service to enable men to come before work, or afer work – even on just a couple of days/week
• Time and loca7on of your program or ac7vity • Build into the workplace • Change workplace cultures • Extend opening hours
• Consider the pictures on the walls, and magazines in wai7ng areas
• Andrew Kings checklists at Groupwork Solu7ons
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Understand male behaviour and psychology
help-‐seeking Risk taking
Consider research into men and boys Network with others
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Mengage hYp://www.nhv.org.au/news/2015/7/15/engaging-‐men-‐in-‐health-‐care-‐prac7ce-‐and-‐policy-‐guidelines-‐have-‐been-‐released
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Men’s Health Services – Greg Millan Richard Fletcher – Family Ac7on Centre AIHMS – Aus ins7tute of Male Health Studies – Adelaide University of Western Sydney – SDOH University of Melbourne – Ten to Men study Mengage website
NSW male health clearinghouse link to MHW strategies for engaging men MHIRC: Resource Kit 2: Prac88oners’ Guide to Effec8ve Men’s Health
Messaging
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AIHW – male health pages www.aihw.gov.au/male-‐health/ Engaging Men in Health Care – Prac7ce and Policy guide – just released in Victoria hYp://www.nhv.org.au/news/2015/7/15/engaging-‐men-‐in-‐health-‐care-‐prac7ce-‐and-‐policy-‐guidelines-‐have-‐been-‐released
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Ten 2 men study – at university of Melbourne .
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www.workingwithmen.org.au
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Links to an informa7on kit about male health and wellbeing Conference proceeding for past conferences and the next one coming up in August
Is your community going to have someone go – share the cost with another org
create an event to support a worker, get workers compe7ng for the opportunity? Referrals
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Australian Men’s health Forum -‐ hYp://www.amhf.org.au Australian Ins7tute of Male Health Studies (SA) -‐ hYp://aimhs.com.au/ Menslink – ACT: hYp://menslink.org.au Male Health Victoria -‐ hYp://www.malehealthvic.org.au Men’s Wellbeing (QLD) hYp://www.menswellbeing.org/ MAN (WA) hYp://www.man.org.au NSW Men’s Health Forum hYp://menshealthforumnsw.org.au Men’s Resources Tasmania – www.mrtasmania.org
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Build on the opportuni8es that are already out there in your community • The foo7e event coming to town • The school based ac7vity for parents • The Agricultural show • The car show • The computer expo • Men’s Health week at the office
Loca8on • Invi7ng men to a talk about prostate cancer at the health centre – how to create a quiet night in.
• The pub – Beer and bubs example • Football oval, or club rooms • The workplace
Life stages / transi8ons • Re7rement • Arrival of first baby • Gradua7on
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The workplace is a vitally important part of working to improve male health yes it misses a lot of people – unemployed and re7red, but it’s worth
considering
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One of the best ways to work with men, and to kill two birds with one stone. – boys and their dads or male mentors Works with the dad’s here and now, and exposes them to a sde of masculinity that most men have not experienced, but that they love • ritual • sacred space • Trust • Deep personal connec7on
For boys • Opportunity to challenge tradi7onal male stereotypes • To welcome them into responsible male adulthood • Builds new rela7onships with parents and wider community
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• Work with the kids and dads • Bernies place – a child friendly space for a break from shopping for families in Burnie Tasmania –asked dad’s what they wanted?
• they created a a rough and tumble play area in the children's play area – Richard Fletchers research
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Male sexual and reprpduc7ve health – good resources and an ambassdor program to involve in your ac7vi7es and programs www.andrologyaustralia.org
Good informaiton about suppor7ng men and their health rela7ng to their age. Founda7on 49 ww.49.com.au/mens-‐health/health-‐in-‐your-‐decade-‐of-‐life
www.menshealthaustralia.net -‐ a good blog that shares informa7on as it comes out across various fields.
aracyfatherhoodresearchnetwork.tumblr.com Probably the best forum for staying up to date with research and programs rela7ng to fatherhood.
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Clearing house for male health info – and engaging menhYp://www.mengage.org.au
An inspiring blog about suppor7ng boys becoming men – highly recommendedjourneytomanhood.blogspot.com.au/ Beyond Blue campaign about men’s mental health – good use of humour www.mantherapy.org.au Campaign about male vic7ms f family violence. Can appear to be figh7ng the feminism FV model, but I feel is just trying to raise the issue of male vic7ms, but coud do it beYer www.oneinthree.com.au Peak body for men’s shedswww.mensshed.org
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www.prostate.org.au
raisingchildren.net.au/fathers
www.ruok.org.au/
www.whiteribbon.org.au/
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An example of a posi7ve approach to engaging men in the family violence issues, that I feel makes it easier for men to get involved. This comes from the Maleny Men’s Group – find them on face book
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Thanks for listening to my talk. I’d be happy to receive any feedback or comments on my presenta7on – content and delivery. All the best with your good work in suppor7ng and working with men
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