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Men and Mental Health Conference
Report (March 2010)
This conference was
the first of five conferences being delivered as part of the Siaradwn Ni -Lets Talk Project and was co-ordinated by
Mental Health Matters Wales. The Siaradwn Ni partnership
is made up of both voluntary and statutory organisations from Neath Port
Talbot and Bridgend with ABM University Health Board as the lead. The
project is funded by the Big Lottery, Mental Health Matters Fund.
The aim of the Siaradwn Ni project is to reduce stigma and improve
public awareness in relation to mental health and provide a legacy of
knowledge regarding mental health and suicide prevention across the
Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot Borough areas. This will encourage earlier
recognition, response and recovery for those in need.
The aim of the Men and Mental
Health conference was to promote discussion and
reflection on a number of key issues relating to men and mental health.
The conference was attended
by 84 people (39 men and 45 women) and the following organisations or
groups were represented
People who
use mental health services
Carers
YMCA
BAVO
Valley and
Vale Community arts
Bridgend
Carers
LLamau
Neath Port Talbot CVS
Yellow
Groundwork
Hafal
Gofal
Cruse
Change
Agnes Network
BIG
SUCPO
Wallich
Golden
Grove Appeal
WGCADA
Bethlehem Church Life Centre
Mental
Health Matters Wales
ARC
BCBC
Communities
First
Tonna Hospital
ABMU
Health Board
Local
councillors
Assembly
Members for Bridgend and Neath and Port Talbot
A programme for the half-day
conference is attached (appendix i),
the conference was designed to be fast paced and inclusive, the success of
the afternoon relied on the participation of all conference delegates. Themes
were introduced by key note speakers, these were followed by brief but
intense discussion of key issues, delegates’ responses were noted by a
scribe and these have been collated unedited in appendix ii.
A thank you is extended to all delegates for the enthusiastic way in way
they contributed to the discussion; recognition is also given to the
facilitators for the able way in which they managed the groups.
It is not the intention of
Mental Health Matters Wales to interpret the feedback from the conference,
it would be more appropriate for each organisation or group to reflect on
the feedback from the workshops and to consider how their organisation can
develop or enhance its service/s in the light of the points/issues raised.
It is however clear that the
message from the conference is that there are key changes needed
immediately to ensure mental health services are more responsive to men.
Particular attention needs to
be given to the section on coping strategies and treatments, point 5
highlights a number of areas as to why men (particularly young men) are
less likely to seek help for their mental health problems and section 6,
how can mental health services locally become more male friendly?
The key
question here is what can providers of mental health
services learn from this and how far are they prepared to change?
There was a clear consensus,
evidenced in response to point 15, that more training is needed for mental
health professionals on men and mental health. This document will therefore
be sent to those responsible for coordinating training within Bridgend and
Neath and Port Talbot.
EVALUATION
OF CONFERENCE – appendix iii
Overall
the conference was evaluated at an excellent standard in terms of format
and pace; keynote speeches/presentations; workshops; and venue.
Janette
Kearn
Mental
Health Matters Wales
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