Mentoring Men is a program that focuses on men’s mental health and provides mental health support through one-on-one life coaching with volunteer mentors who are professionally trained. This program serves as an early intervention program to prevent men from reaching a crisis point.
To reach out to more men in the community, the Sydney North Health Network (SNHN) has provided funding to expand services across the Sydney North region. Currently, there are approximately 130 mentors and three mentor peer support groups that are ready to provide assistance to men in the area.
Statistics show that men are less likely than women to seek help for mental health conditions, and 75% of those who take their own lives are men. This is why Mentoring Male Support is a crucial program that matches at-risk men (mentees) with trained mentors for 6-12 months.
The volunteer mentors are trained to provide non-judgmental support and proactive prevention to involve mentees. They are also trained in suicide prevention best practices to equip them with the skills to support men in their communities. The program focuses on men’s mental health throughout the year, not just during Men’s Health Week.
The expansion of the Mentoring Men program is aimed at encouraging people who feel isolated to seek support. It’s an effective way of improving community connectivity, as it hosts monthly community events such as walks and talks, forums, and events in multiple locations to reduce social isolation.
Mentoring Men also offers mentor peer support groups for volunteers where they can discuss mentoring relationships and how best to support each other through difficult experiences. Through a men-focused suicide prevention strategy, Mentoring Men has successfully reached more than 1,400 men across Australia. The program is an essential service for men’s mental health, and it’s only going to continue to grow.