Men’s Health Unlocked Network Activities and Services Update

Contents

• What is Men’s Health Unlocked?
• Men’s Health Unlocked Networking Meeting, Friday 8th Jan 2021
• What’s On? Let’s Unlock Support and Social Opportunities for Men
• Funding News – Capacity-building Positive Covid-19 Messages Fund
• Funding News – Covid-19 Funding for Older People
• Unlock Online – Free Tablets for Isolated and Digitally Excluded Men
• Unlock Offline – Men’s Helpline
• Unlocked Magazine – available online or hardcopy. Entries welcome
• Leeds Dads Weekly Support Session
• Well Men Activist Training
• Young Black Minds Peer Support Session
• Free Counselling for Low-income Individuals / Families in Leeds
• Useful Research and Documents
• Contact Details

Men’s Health Unlocked seeks to:

• connect and liaise

• involve and develop

• promote and celebrate

the health and wellbeing needs and activities of men in Leeds, from all backgrounds and at all levels.

It aims to unite the different individuals and organisations working in the field of men’s health so that we can take a joined-up and gendered approach to tackling health inequalities specific to those who identify as men.

Men’s Health Unlocked currently has three delivery strands running some on-the-ground projects. These are:

• Unlock Online – Free digital tablets scheme, coordinated by Barca-Leeds.

• Unlock Offline – Men’s clubs and a helpline, run by Touchstone

• Unlocked Magazine – a magazine co-produced with men and used as part of the Manbassador Project

This network is an inclusive, supportive space for anyone passionate about working with men to share, learn and grow.

More info: [email protected]org.uk / 07985 442630

Men’s Health Unlocked Networking Meeting, Friday 8th Jan 2021

54 people attended from a range of organisations and split into seven sub-groups to discuss the health and wellbeing needs of men in Leeds and how to meet those needs.

Great insight to be found in the Workshop Notes.

We have added the notes from the chat box – have taken out irrelevant bits and responded where appropriate.

Next meeting will be in early March. Please let us know any agenda suggestions, e.g. guest speakers, topics to cover.

Link:  Meeting Agenda

Workshop Notes

For a recording of the meeting, or more information, contact: damian[email protected] / 07985 442630

What’s On? Let’s Unlock Support and Social Opportunities for Men

Some of you asked for this on Friday – and we have done it! Please fill in this simple form with your contact details and any support, services, or activities that you provide for men in the Leeds district, and we will magically create a wonderful list of activities and services across Leeds. This will be a fantastic resource for men and those who support men.

It will take you less than 5 minutes and it promises to be a very useful resource!

Link: What’s On? Support and Social Opportunities for Men

More info: [email protected]org.uk / 07985 442630

Capacity-building Positive Covid-19 Messages Fund

Funds need to be spent by March 2021!

1. Micro grants up to £500 for immediate activity – promotion of positive Covid-19 messaging for men’s communities:

Hands, Face, Space, Isolate

Happy, Healthy, Connected

2. Up to £1,500 funding to release capacity for continued engagement.  e.g. a member of staff to commit to working on this agenda from January – March 2021

There is currently no deadline for grant submissions but we encourage you to apply quickly as the funds are to be used for the above projects up until March 2021.

Links: Stacey’s presentation at the MHU networking meeting 

Blank funding application form

More info: Stacey Taylor, 3rd Sector Outbreak Plan Coordinator, Volition. [email protected]uk

Covid-19 Funding for Older People

Application deadline is Wednesday 27th January!

But it’s a simple process!

One of the target groups for this funding is men over 60 who are living alone or have been bereaved.

It has two strands:

• Grants of up to £1000 where an organisation is delivering the proposed work alone.

• Grants of up to £5,000 where two or more organisations are working together to jointly deliver the proposed work and are able to scale up the reach covering a number of geographies or work areas and/or vulnerable groups.

Link: https://www.opforum.org.uk/covid-19-grants/

Unlock Online – Free Tablets for Isolated and Digitally Excluded Men

(Limited Timeframe!)

Barca-Leeds are providing 100 FREE data-equipped tablets to 100 socially isolated and digitally excluded men across the city, with 3 months of free data.

The aim is to connect men with other people and services and unlock the digital barriers that many face.

Act fast. Referrals must be made by the end of January at the very latest.

Link: Find more info here.

More info: [email protected]leeds.org / Ranbir Singh 07540 796 509

Unlock Offline – Men’s Helpline 07909 254607

Covid-19 has brought a whole range of new challenges to people’s lives.

Do you want to find out what specialist services are available for Men in Leeds?

Do you want to find out the next best steps to resolving any challenges you might be facing?

Get in touch with the details provided below.

Link: Advert here

More info: [email protected] / 07909 254607

Unlocked Magazine 

A great place to advertise your activities. Please submit articles or ideas for content.

Distributed in hard copy by the Orion Partnership, via local businesses, food banks, local charities, etc.

Can you help distribute any? Do you know anyone who would like some?

Link: Latest edition here: City Unlocked No.3

More info:  [email protected]

Leeds Dads Weekly Support Session

On Facebook on Wednesday evenings 8-9pm, with a trained mental health worker.

A partnership between Leeds Dads and Touchstone.

More info: [email protected] / 07741 328786

Well Men Activist Training

If you’re a Leeds man* living or volunteering in South or East Leeds and you want to improve your skills supporting other men to lead healthier and happier lives, join this free online course. It covers:

Using your strengths to support others

• Men, masculinity and health

• How to have little chats that make a big difference

• Signposting and motivating men to connect to services in Leeds

• Healthy, safe and happy relationships

• Suicide risk awareness and action

• Group work facilitation skills

After the course, Humansbeing will keep supporting you to go back to your community and put into practice what you’ve learned.

On Zoom Fridays 10.30 – 12.00 for 8 weeks starting 5th February 2021

The course is run by Humansbeing CIC and funded by Leeds Community Foundation

*Anyone identifying as a man is welcome

Link: Advert here

More info: [email protected] / 0113 8730028

Young Black Minds Peer Support Session

An online group for young black males. Starts 18th Jan in the evening and will last approx. 10 weeks.

Run by Abdullah Adekola of Leeds Mind. Referrals accepted.

Link: Advert here

More info: [email protected]org.uk

Free Counselling for Low-income Individuals / Families in Leeds 

Help for people who have been struggling with their relationships recently/ post-Christmas.

Until end of March 2021. People can refer themselves or they can be referred by others into the service.

More Info: https://relatebradford.org/leeds/

Useful Research & Documents 

• Workshop notes and chat box from Friday’s meeting: Workshop Notes from Men’s Health Unlocked Networking Meeting Jan 2021
• State of Men’s Health in Leeds: Access the full document here
• Leeds Suicide Audit: Access the full document here
• National Lottery Engaging Older Men Report: Access the full document here.
• National Lottery Engaging Men Best Practice: Access the summary here
• Notes from meeting in January last year: Workshop notes from Network of meeting of men’s community workers in Jan 2020 

Contact Details

To contact Men’s Health Unlocked, part of Forum Central:

• Damian Dawtry, Coordinator, Men’s Health Unlocked
• Email: [email protected]org.uk
• Tel: 07985 442630
• Twitter: @mhuleeds