Men Can Get Support

Описание: “It’s not only tricky but it’s a scary subject.”

Tangentyere Men’s Family Safety Group co-ordinator Chris Forbes, one of the senior men from Town Camps in Mparntwe (Alice Springs), tackling issues around suicide in an upfront video project that tackles the issues of suicide.

The Tangentyere Men’s Family Safety Group was formed to support men in taking action to make their communities and family stronger and safer.
Mr Forbes said the men were concerned about issues of suicide and self-harm in their communities and decided to develop a project to deal with issues around mental health.

The ‘Men Can Get Support’ video project builds on the work done in conjunction with the Tangentyere Women’s Family Safety Group around primary prevention and breaking down unhelpful gender stereotypes.

The ‘Men Can Get Support’ video raises awareness of emotional distress and other factors that can lead to suicidal ideation. It aims to increase understanding of suicide prevention practices that can be implemented at a community level.

The project addresses the stigma and discrimination around gender norms that enforce men’s reluctance to get emotional support and strengthens community understanding and responses to vulnerable men who need help.

“These issues are often hidden and it’s hard to know how to raise the subject and discuss what’s wrong,” Mr Forbes said.
“There’s feelings of shame. It’s a very scary subject.
“We talk in the videos about how hard it can be to talk when you’re feeling bad and not thinking straight.
“It can also be hard for friends and families to know what to do, how to talk with someone who is dealing with mental health issues, who to turn to.
“We wanted to show in the videos how men can have these feelings and there is no shame in seeking help and support.”

The men tell strong personal stories and share experiences in English and in language to help break down the barriers around mental health and suicide ideation.

The videos are all written, performed and directed by TMFSG members and have been funded by the NT Government and produced in conjunction with the Mental Health Association of Central Australia.