Did you know one of Family Life’s School Focused Youth Service (SFYS) Interventions recently featured on Channel 9 News?
Funded by Family Life through Department of Education and Training, Man Cave was conducted at Cheltenham Secondary College, with separate workshops for staff, students and parents/carers.
The Man Cave offers a preventative mental health and emotional intelligence program for boys, young men, parents and teachers, aiming to engage young boys early and potentially preventing anxiety, depression and an unhealthy attitudes towards women.
The facilitators are all highly trained young men from a range of backgrounds who are able to bridge the gap between the boys and their parents and teachers, who are generally more of an authority figure.
SFYS Coordinator, Hannah Weymes, said:
“We are thrilled with the outcomes of this intervention at Cheltenham Secondary College, and hope to offer it to more schools next year.”
“The Man Cave is an example of some great work being done around healthy masculinity and mental health for year 7 boys.”
The program includes meditation and self-reflection, games and exercises where the boys have can connect and have fun, then there are the more serious components.
When asked what they learnt, student participants reported:
“I can be open around other blokes and my help and support is valued.”
“That I can be myself and my gender doesn’t define me”
“I learnt to understand their struggles and story, to be patient and understanding”
“I think I’ll see things from a different or altered perspective, more inclusive of things I learnt today”
Evaluations from the workshops revealed that
94% of the boys would recommend The Man Cave to other boys
97% of the teachers would recommend The Man Cave to other teachers
100% of the parents have a better understanding of the challenges their child faces and feel better equipped to connect with their child
Watch the Channel 9 segment on this link or contact Hannah for more information hweymes@familylife.com.au
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