Mentoring Men, an early intervention program focused on men’s mental health, is committed to making a lasting impact throughout the year. Through one-to-one life mentoring, professionally trained volunteer Mentors offer vital support.
To reach a larger male population, Sydney North Health Network has provided funding to expand the service across northern Sydney. The expansion brings the availability of approximately 130 mentors and three mentor peer support groups to help men in the area.
Disturbing data from Lifeline Australia reveals that 75 per cent of suicides are carried out by men. Men are also less likely to seek help for mental health conditions compared to women. Mentoring Men aims to prevent crises by matching at-risk men with trained mentors for six to 12 months.
Volunteer mentors receive extensive training in suicide prevention to provide non-judgmental support and proactive prevention strategies. By expanding the program, Mentoring Men hopes to reach isolated individuals and encourage them to seek support.
The Mentoring Men program has successfully engaged over 1,400 men across Australia. For more information visit mentoringmen.org.au.