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Turning the
boys into men with survival skills!
Men
are three times more likely to take their life than women
in Northern Ireland while men in the Republic of Ireland are
seven times more likely to do this according to information
provided at a survival skills seminar for men being held today
in association with the Health Promotion Agency.
The
seminar will be attended by over 80 delegates from a range
of backgrounds including health professionals, community workers,
peer educators, social workers, and the voluntary sector.
The seminar provides a chance for these people to come together
and share examples and practical ideas for promoting young
men's mental and emotional wellbeing.
Lynn
Bruce, Regional Programme Manager for Children and Young People,
said: "This special event is targeting all those people working
with young men and will focus on a number of important issues
including promoting self-esteem, masculinity and suicide prevention.
A number of workshops have been organised that will be led
by experts from the UK and Republic of Ireland giving valuable
examples of the work they are involved in. I hope it will
challenge all those who attend to put the relevant examples
into practice when they return to their own local setting."
Discrimination,
conflict, and violence can impact negatively on our mental
wellbeing in the form of low self-esteem, social isolation,
depression, anxiety, drug and alcohol misuse and suicidal
feelings. Therefore, equipping young men with the skills necessary
for survival in today's world is incredibly important for
their overall good health.
Lynn
concluded: "This seminar will highlight the recognition that
self-esteem and feeling good are vitally important for overall
health and wellbeing. It will also explore how young men can
actively take control and do something to promote their own
mental health in the same way as they would promote their
physical health."
Boy
to man: survival skills! has been organised to support
the Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety's
new public health strategy, Investing
for health, which has made the mental health of young
people a key priority in Northern Ireland.
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