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 hereOn 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. 

To receive the latest updates about our events, podcast or blogs sign up to our newsletter below.

 

 

 

The Mentality Podcast

Mentality podcast is all about having real conversations with real people about healthy masculinities.

We’ll hear from a wide range of guests about their views and experiences of manhood, we’ll look at the bits we should celebrate but also its messy parts while having a bit of a laugh.

Mentality Podcast is available on all major platforms. 

To further raise awareness of men’s mental health and the harmful effects a restrictive and toxic view of masculinity has on men’s mental health, we’ve run an Olympic Triathlon on 7 August 2022 in London hosted by London Tri. 

You can still support us to promote healthy masculinities and positive male role models by donating whatever amount you can give here or use the button below. 

Your support plays a crucial part in enabling us to have the necessary resources to build a solid social media campaign, secure speakers for future events and the Mentality Podcast.

Get Involved

Get in touch to learn how you can get involved, what we do or just to say hello.