Mental health is a major issue in Australia for both men and women, but men are less likely to seek help. Recognised as a finalist in the NSW ahi: Brighter Awards 2023 for Tenant Led Initiative, Hume's HuMEN program is one way of providing support for men and helping them get on top of their mental health.
ABS data released in October 2023 shows that nearly 43 percent of Australians aged between 16 and 85 years of age had experienced a mental health disorder at some time in their life.
An ever-increasing body of evidence from mental health research continues to evidence that people experiencing social isolation, or loneliness in general, are more likely to experience issues relating to anxiety and depression. This puts men in Australia at significant risk of developing a mental health disorder.
As Ben Leauanae, Community Cohesion Officer and Convenor of Hume Community Housing’s HuMEN Program, explains, “One in eight Australian men will experience a mental health condition. One in five Australian men will experience an anxiety condition in their lifetime, and it’s also acknowledged that men are far less likely to seek help for mental health conditions than women. Loneliness, isolation and lack of supportive male relationships puts men at increased risk.”
"Of the 3,249 deaths by suicide reported in 2022, 2,455 of those were men."
Statistics compiled by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) indicate, of the 3,249 deaths by suicide reported in 2022, 2,455 of those were men. Armed with this information, Ben and his colleagues at Hume Community Housing decided to focus on a program exclusively for mitigating depression and anxiety in the male-identifying members of our community.
“The HuMEN program was conceived as an active, participant-led initiative to build resilience in men living in community housing,” Ben explains. “We were inspired to see if we could motivate a group of men who experienced a lack of social connections, social isolation, language barriers, financial hardships and mental health challenges to come together and build a community — even if it’s just being able to have others as peers to walk alongside.”
The program successfully secured a $20,000 NSW Government grant through the Stronger Together Program and, over the course of a year, made significant inroads in increasing participants' community and social connectedness, as well as their knowledge of local services and, perhaps most importantly, helping them develop new life skills.
“The formula that we used was very much integrating social recreational activity with capacity and building,” Ben continues. “For example, one activity, we’d play a round of golf and invite a partner to attend and talk about financial resilience. And we’d all be there together in a nice social environment, have a bit of a chat over the BBQ, talking about the importance of financial management, and what are the things that we can do to improve on that. So, most of our activities were very fused together with that type of programming.”
For Ben, the growth of HuMEN within the Hume tenant community has been a major source of enjoyment. Early meetings featured a core group of 12 members but, at the time of writing, Ben says he has 30-plus people as regular HuMEN members.
The program's impact on the participants has also been a major source of satisfaction. In fact, Ben describes the transformation he’s seen in some of the men as “magical”.
"Those engaged were very grateful and, for me, that's quite a humbling experience.”
“We had these guys who have very little means to come out and participate. You could see the excitement and feel the energy depending on the activity. Those engaged were very grateful and, for me, that's quite a humbling experience.”
Though funding for the program has ended, its impacts are ongoing. Ben says the team at Hume still have regular contact with participants, and many of the guys in HuMEN have linked into external community social and networking initiatives, such as the local Men’s Shed, as well as a range of like-minded community groups.
“My approach is to assist these guys to get involved with my other community work as volunteers and community leaders. It's been great to see them open to more opportunities to get involved and the difference that it makes for them as they give back. Something as simple as that, it’s what HuMEN is all about.”
“It’s a beautifully flourishing community at the moment. It really is. And that's something that I actually really get excited about. There are so many opportunities that are still around.”
While the transformation has been far-reaching for the tenants, it’s given Ben time to reflect on perceptions of contemporary masculinity.
"For various reasons, we have so many other men who are still discovering their identity."
“I have four teenagers, and my wife and I have been married for almost 20 years. So, for me, I feel like I'm quite seasoned in my own relationship, in my own skin as a man, my walk through life. But I believe, for various reasons, we have so many other men who are still discovering their identity and what it is they want to do with their life, or who they are.”
“I’m a spiritual man but, even if you took that away, it's understanding that we’re humans in need of positive connectivity to each other, and the quality of these relationships has a direct impact on our health and wellbeing.”
“I feel this work also helps me learn how to be a better man as I live my own best life” Ben reflects. “I come home and I think about what it is I'm doing at work with these men, and I think, well, it's easy for me to talk about being a good man but, then sometimes, I come home and I can be a little bit grumpy to my kids and to my wife.”
“I feel that I'm actually learning so much just from being a part of the HuMEN community because it helps me to constantly reflect on my own responsibilities and, of course, my own journey ahead for the remainder of my time in the community as a man. I just love being able to share that with these men.”
The HuMEN program and Hume Community Housing would like to acknowledge the NSW Government, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Parks Community Network, Salvation Army, South West Sydney Men’s Shed in Bonnyrigg, Mental Health First Aid Australia and St John Ambulance NSW for their assistance and support.
If you, or someone you know needs help, contact the following around the clock:
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467
Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
MensLine Australia: 1300 789 978
Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800
13YARN: 13 92 76
For further information, see the ABS list of mental health resources.
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