Working effectively with men

For Men’s Health Awareness Month (Movember) new Research in Practice resources aim to improve support for men.

Ideas about what it means to be a man vary across society by culture, class and ethnicity. Movember aims to raise awareness about men’s health and supports projects that change the way men are supported. For practitioners in social work it is important to work effectively with men, including boys, fathers and male carers.

A new Research in Practice podcast series explores the journey of Leeds City Council in developing services that successfully support men. The first episode reflects on their journey, shares examples of positive practice with fathers, and provid­es advice for social workers looking to work more effectively.

A video with Owen Thomas of Future Men shares approaches of engaging men at key points in their lives and acknowledges the gap between how men themselves see issues. In addition, a video with Jake Ferguson talks about the work that Hackney Community Voluntary Service have been doing with Hackney Council to involve young black men and improve outcomes. 

We all have circumstances and pressures that need to be understood so it's important we create services that work effectively, understand cultural identity and advocate for all men.

The full series of podcasts will be released across November alongside a number of related videos.