The Man Cave, Special Envoy for Men’s Health Dan Repacholi MP, Senator David Pocock and Aaron Violi MP launch Parliamentary Friends of Healthy Masculinities to tackle young men’s mental health crisis

Special Envoy for Men’s Health and Labor Member for Hunter Dan Repacholi MP, Liberal Member for Casey Aaron Violi MP and Independent ACT Senator David Pocock, are today launching the Parliamentary Friends of Healthy Masculinities group alongside the Man Cave, Australia’s leading preventative mental health charity for boys and young men.

The group has been convened to tackle the growing mental health crisis among young men, and call on Australian governments to invest in boys. It is co-chaired by Pocock, Repacholi and Violi.

The Man Cave research, published in conjunction with Flinders University, finds that one in two boys report mental health as the biggest problem they are facing, and that one in five boys believe they should solve their problems without help.

Ben Vasiliou, CEO of The Man Cave: “This crisis is preventable. We have worked with 100,000 young men off the smell of an oily rag over the past decade, and we are now calling on federal and state governments to invest in prevention by funding evidence-based programs in every Australian school. We need coordinated efforts across the health, education, social services and sport sectors to build a generation of healthy young men who can thrive.”

Dan Repacholi, Federal Labor MP for Hunter and the Special Envoy for Men’s Health: “Right now, too many young Aussie blokes are doing it tough. They’re lonely, they’re struggling with their mental health, and way too many think they’ve got to sort it all out on their own. That’s got to change. What I love about The Man Cave is they meet boys where they are, in classrooms, in their communities, online, and give them practical tools to look after themselves and each other. Launching the group today sends a clear message to boys around Australia: we’ve got your backs. When we invest in young men’s wellbeing, the benefits flow to their families, their schools and their communities.”

ACT Independent Senator David Pocock, said: “The research clearly shows we need to do better when it comes to supporting young men’s mental health. That includes role modelling, making room for conversations about what masculinity can and should be, and giving young men and boys the tools they need. I am proud to co-chair this group and work across parliament to make a positive difference.”   

Member for Casey Aaron Violi MP said: “It’s time to re-write the script that tells young men they need to bottle it all up and get on with things. In launching the Parliamentary Friends of Healthy Masculinities, on International Men’s Day, we are sending a message to Australian boys and men that their wellbeing matters. When we invest in positive masculinity, we don’t just uplift young men, we strengthen the fabric of Australian communities. When the individual is strong, the community is strong, and our nation can flourish.”

The Man Cave, Pocock and Repacholi are launching the Parliamentary Friends of Healthy Masculinities group at a midday press conference in Mural Hall, Parliament House, Canberra, alongside young men who have been through TMC’s programs.

The Parliamentary Friends group has been formed to champion the next generation of Australian men, and bring young men into conversations about healthy masculinity, mental health, gender equity and social connection.

It is being announced on International Men’s Day, in order to reframe conversations about the day away from rigid stereotypes, amplify the voices of young Australian men, and show what’s possible when we invest in their growth, wellbeing and leadership.

The Man Cave’s programs and strengths-based approach are showing promising results, with 50% of boys who believed they should solve their problems without help reversing their opinion after just one workshop, but boys need consistent exposure to role models and programs in schools, clubs, gyms, extracurriculars and online to effect sustainable change. 

Dr Melissa Opozda, Flinders University Research Fellow, said: “We need age-appropriate and gender-sensitive programs, we need place-based programs for diverse populations of marginalised young men, and The Man Cave does this. We should start age-appropriate mental health literacy work as early as possible.”

Professor James Smith, Flinders University, said: “Supporting the mental health of adolescent boys and young men is a critical public health priority. Data from The Man Cave finds that the presence of a positive male role model strongly predicts positive wellbeing, attitudes and beliefs amongst this cohort.”