How to best engage with young men through uniquely challenging times is an every-day question for parents, teachers, coaches and community members.
It's one Wollongong Council is determined to help find answers to in engaging preventative mental health charity The Man Cave for a Community Keynote event at Wollongong Youth Services on 23 October.
Aimed at parents and carers, or anyone who works with or supports young men, the 60 to 90-minute presentation provides insights and practical tools to navigate the unique challenges posed by a post-pandemic decline in social skills and awareness, and the growing influence of social media.
The Man Cave's Dan Paproth says demand for these events and programs has "skyrocketed" in recent years in response to an increasing number of community members and organisations seeking guidance to understand and support boys and young men.
"Raising young people in 2024 is no easy task in a rapidly changing world with many distractions, and we want to provide a sense of hope as well as tangible tools and techniques for engaging with boys," Mr Paproth said.
"Young men are experiencing a diverse range of pressures. They feel the impact of outdated stereotypes of masculinity that seek to define what it means to be a man, as well as feeling the impact of navigating what it means to be a man in 2024, with society asking them to be more open, authentic and vulnerable, without showing them how."
Delivered by highly trained facilitators, the Community Keynote examines current narratives around young men to broaden an understanding of their development, and offers strategies developed from workshop experiences to foster healthy relationships.
"These keynotes present our insights and learnings into the current experiences of young men and provide tangible tools and techniques for engaging with boys to the adults around them," Mr Paproth said.
"Delivered by the same facilitators that deliver our school workshops, the keynotes blend presentation, group discussion and Q&A, normalising challenges that parents may be facing and leaving participants with a sense of agency and hope."
These aims and outcomes align closely with Council's Impact Initiative which focuses on working directly with young men to build capacity, drive them towards positive change and personal growth through links to positive role models and community leaders.
The programs also look to build awareness to consequences and reduce risk-taking behaviours, while providing resources and support to community members directly engaged with young people.
"It's important we provide best practice approaches when working with young men," Wollongong Council Youth Services Coordinator Katie Kapp said.
"We are looking forward to providing this free training to all members of the community that work with young men. If we can work collaboratively to build on our tools and strategies in these areas, we can bring about better outcomes for young people."
This is a free event, but bookings are essential. Visit Humanitix
