Men’s Health Connected summit a huge success
Around 1,500 people signed up to take part in Men’s Health Connected, a month-long online summit hosted by the Australian Men’s Health Forum, the peak body for people working to improve the lives and health of men and boys.
Glen Poole, CEO of the Australian Men’s Health Forum said:
“I love being part of the men’s health sector in Australia. We trace our history back to 1995 and the First National Men’s Health Gathering in Melbourne and we were due to return to the city in May to host our 25th anniversary conference.
“COVID-19 forced us to put the 2020 Men's Health Gathering on hold, but the men’s health sector refused to be held back by the pandemic. We’ve been overwhelmed by people’s willingness to pull together and create an even bigger, even better event that has enabled us to demonstrate the collaborative spirit of the men’s health sector in Australia.”
While there are still two days of Men's Health Connected to go, some initial evaluation work reveals that:
- 1,500+ people signed up to take part
- 150+ speakers shared their expertise
- 100+ hours of conversation has taken place
- 75+ men’s health organisations have been represented
- 50+ sessions have been held across 5 weeks
Some of the big names in men’s health that have taken part in this event include:
- The Movember Foundation
- The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia
- The Australian Men’s Sheds Association (AMSA)
- MATES In Construction
- The Men’s Health Information and Resource Centre (MHIRC)
- The Freemasons Foundation Centre for Men’s Health
- The Ten To Men Study
- Gotcha4Life
Featured academics in the men's health field have included:
- Professor John Macdonald
- Professor John Oliffe
- Professor Derek Griffith
- Professor James Smith
- Professor Gary Wittert
- Professor Phil Morgan
- Professor Deborah Turnbull
- Professor Jane Pirkis
- Professor Barry Golding AM
- Dr Neil Hall
- Dr Zac Seidler
- Dr Cristina Caperchione
- Dr Steven Roberts
- Dr Kylie King
- Dr Martyn Mills-Bayne
Innovative men’s health projects being showcased included:
- MAN V FAT
- Prick + Pint
- PROST! Inc.
- Save Our Mates
- OzHelp Foundation
- Sons Of The West
- Active Breed
- Aussie Fit
- SHED-IT
- Incolink
- The Healthy Tradie Project
Areas of the health system represented included:
- The National Mental Health Commission
- Queensland Mental Health Commission
- VicHealth
- Western Australia Primary Health Alliance
- South Western Sydney PHN
- Western Victoria PHN
- Eastern Melbourne PHN
- North Queensland PHN
- Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN
- Northern Territory PHN
- Hunter New England LHD
- Latrobe Regional Hospital
- Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health
- Health Consumers NSW
- Australian College of Nursing
- Everymind
We brought together projects working with older men including:
- COTA (Council on the Ageing)
- AMSA (Australian Men's Sheds Association)
- TOMNET (The Older Men's Network)
- The Victoria Men's Sheds Association
- Men's Sheds of WA
- Shed Happens
- OM:NI (Older Men New Ideas)
- Circle of Men QLD
- Circle of Men WA
- MenzDen Victoria
- Council of Men's Sheds Associations
We brought together projects working with younger men including:
- Menslink
- Top Blokes
- Young Blood Men's Health Matters podcast
- Understanding Boys
- The Odyssey Program
- Sport and Life Training
- The Man Cave
- Conviction Group
We brought together projects working with rural men including:
- Regional Men's Health Initiative
- Men's Health Education Rural Van
- Mate Helping Mate
- Are You Bogged Mate?
- The Unbreakable Farmer
- Rural and Remote Mental Health
- Rural Alive and Well Tasmania
- Menswatch
We brought together projects working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men including:
- Camping On Country
- Darwin Indigenous Men's Service
- Mibbinbah Spirit Healing
- Hoops 4 Health
- Anangu Ngangkari Tjutaku Aboriginal Corporation (ANTAC)
- The Glen - Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre
- The Enemy Within
- Weigelli Centre Aboriginal Corporation
- Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council
- Interrelate Aboriginal programs
We brought together projects working in Australia's thriving Men's Mental Health Movement including:
- Mr Perfect
- The Man Walk
- HALT
- INATT
- LIVIN
- The Banksia Project
- Mentoring Men
- Marcus Mission
- The Men's Table
- Dads Group
- SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY
- Human Connection Project
- Grab Life By The Balls
- MoMENTtum Lifestyle
- Maroubra Movement
We connected projects running men's circles and men's gatherings including:
- Men's Wellbeing Inc
- Men's Health and Wellbeing Association NSW
- TasMen
- Southern Men's Health Gathering
- The Men's Work Project WA
- Island of Men
- The Man That Can Project
- Men's Business
- Men's Group Online
- The ManKind Project
- Warrior Within
- The Pathways Foundation
- Sole to Soul men’s contemplative bushwalking retreats
We involved many more partners working in different ways to improve the lives and health of men and boys including:
- Suicide Prevention Australia
- Australian Fatherhood Research Consortium
- Australian Association for Men in Early Childhood
- Men In Nursing
- The Black Dog Institute
- Launceston City Council
- Men's Resources Tasmania
- Parents Beyond Breakup
- Men Care Too
- Beyond The Barbell
- cycle:WELL
- Fit Dad Lifestyle
- The Nutrition Guy
- Zest Learning
- Blokes Psychology
- Outside The Locker Room
- Love Is A Team Sport