1 in 3 men in Scotland experience a mental health problem and it’s on the rise. But it’s well documented that men/boys find it harder to talk about their mental health and seek support. Thanks to funding from Movember - a prominent charity dedicated to transforming boys' and men's health, we've increased male participation in our programmes, helping more boys benefit from this vital support.
We believe in giving all young people the chance to realise their unique potential. This innovative 16-week early intervention is proven by robust evaluation to increase mental health, educational attainment and life skills. By discovering their potential, young people can contribute to stronger communities, by believing in themselves and in their future. Our project is unique because it also benefits the 4-6 year old children that the young people mentor (through play, reading and numbers) helping them develop vital relationship skills.
Movember is an annual event involving the growing of moustaches during the month of November to raise awareness of men's health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men's suicide. https://uk.movember.com/
94% of the boys agreed that the programme made them more aware of themselves and the consequences of their actions.
“I could have gone down a really bad road. Growing2gether and knowing what I want to do has made all the difference.” - Calum, 14
Josh’s* Story – written by Facilitator:
*Participant on the Nursery Mentoring Programme in a Highland school. Name has been changed.
Josh lacked confidence and described himself as not being very social. He felt a weight of responsibility on his shoulders and was facing challenges at home, making it difficult to sleep. His attendance at school was poor, affecting his educational attainment. During the programme, Josh developed a very positive attitude towards his peers, the children and facilitators. He was willing to try out new things and to listen to other opinions. His attendance increased and now he goes into school every day and is engaging more. According to his Guidance Teacher Josh now has a clearer understanding of what he wants to do - to work with young people as a youth worker. She commented that the future young people he would be working with would be very lucky to have him. “Josh has had a huge confidence boost and started to think about a career working with young people. Growing2gether has certainly broadened his horizons and helped him build his skillset.”
Josh: “I remember being unsure about this group at first and enjoying doing lots of different, fun activities to introduce the topic for the day and applying them to being inside the Primary School. I’ve loved building relationships with the younger children. I increased confidence and social skills. I’ve learned how to control my voice and sound calmer in certain situations and I will be keeping my head down and focusing more. Not being stubborn.”
“The benefits for our pupils are huge, not just in terms of the importance of their work in the classroom, but in the development of essential skills, including attendance and punctuality, they will need for their future life/work.”
- Head Teacher