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Movember
Movember is the leading charity changing the face of men’s health on a global scale. Since the first moustaches were grown in 2003, Movember has raised over £660 million for men’s health. With the money raised, Movember has funded more than 1,250 innovative projects across mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer.
How does your organisation contribute to preventing suicide and supporting those affected by it?
In the UK, 3 out of 4 suicides are by men. The issue of suicide is incredibly complex. But we know that improving overall mental wellbeing by helping men build resilience and establish meaningful social connections can reduce the risk of suicide.
Movember looks at mental health through a gendered lens, responding to the unique stressors facing men across the lifespan and in settings where they live, work and play.
Here are a few of the projects we’ve developed:
Our online tool, Movember Conversations, teaches you how to have better conversations to help support the men in your life. Whether it’s a friend in need, a colleague who’s not coping or a family member who isn’t himself, Movember Conversations offers the tools to help you know what to say and how to help.
Designed for dads, our online parenting programme Family Man engages men with quick and easy parenting strategies that not only improve their kid’s behaviour, but also dad’s own mental health and confidence as a parent. Partners and other caregivers are encouraged to use the programme and build skills to improve their mental health as well.
Our youth mental health programme, Ahead of the Game, is a sports-based mental fitness and resilience training programme. It teaches young athletes, their parents and coaches how to spot the signs of poor mental health, how to openly talk about mental health and how and when to seek help.
Check out more of our work at impact.movember.com.
What are your current priorities?
We’re working towards a world where men take action to be mentally well and are supported by those around them.
We’re focused on:
– Building engaging digital health tools which can be scaled to reach more men
– Harnessing mass media to educate men about mental health and encourage them to reach out for support when they need it
– Investing in evidence-based community programmes and working closely with local communities to grow them
– Targeting programmes to populations that are at-risk when it comes to mental health and suicide, such as veterans and first responders
– Upskilling health professionals who work with men to ensure they provide the care that men want and need
What challenges are you currently facing?
One of Movember’s main challenges is how we move beyond raising awareness about the prevalence of male suicide and move towards a world where men have the tools they need and the best services available to them to take action when it comes to their mental health.