How Movember is transforming the mental health of young men and boys across America
From a bike shop, to a school yard, to a community basketball court – connection, mentorship, and peer-to-peer support is transforming the mental wellbeing of young men and boys across America – thanks to a Movember-funded program.
Over the past 9 years, Movember has invested $21 million USD into the Making Connections initiative -- community-driven and culturally relevant programs aimed at improving the mental health and wellbeing for young men and boys. These projects set out to address the poor mental health experienced by boys and men of color. Each program aimed to connect men and boys in the places where they spend the most time and through activities they enjoy doing.
Setting communities up for success
From Hawaii to California to Illinois, these projects have demonstrated that community-based approaches can make a difference that goes beyond individuals to lay the foundation for change in their community. From a programmatic perspective, this approach to connect with men and boys where they are has proven to be an effective way to engage them. By meeting boys and young men where they are, whether that is through sports or male designated gathering spaces, it has allowed men to connect around issues of identity, masculinity and mental health, and tap into community resources. This was not only seen through attendance, but testimonials from participants who shared that having this space for men to gather created an opportunity for connection that they didn’t even know they needed until they joined.
Success has come through in many stories, but none more powerful than those of the participants who have grown up in these programs. Boys who joined the program at a young age, and now find themselves as mentors and leaders, not just in their programs, but in their communities too. This is leading to generational leadership and advocacy in communities, creating opportunities for upward mobility, while also helping to build a foundation for future change.
KVIBE: Youth supporting one another – as bike mechanics and mentors
Since partnering with Kōkua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services (KKV), Movember has seen the Kalihi Valley Instructional Bike Exchange (KVIBE) create lasting transformation for the young men and boys of Hawaii’s Kalihi Valley. Hosted at the bike shop, youth support one another as bike mechanics and mentors, taking part in dialogue about their cultures, individual gifts, passions, and feelings. Through leadership training and multi-generational mentoring, KVIBE is providing life changing opportunities to these young men.
Rona Mangayayam, Youth Services Director at KKV says: “To me, transformation comes when young men are accepted and loved even in the difficult moments of their lives -- when we help them see and connect to their better selves and the community. I am hopeful that our interns and mentors will thrive in their own life. Not only for their own good, but for the greater good of their community and beyond. That they can be a source of hope and healing to other young men around them.”
When he was a young boy, Bruce would stop into KVIBE to hang out with his friends and play around on the bikes. But when he found himself in need of direction, KVIBE helped get him on the right path. Watch Bruce’s full story.
UWEAST: Providing a support system, on and off the basketball court
This unique Movember-funded program uses basketball to bring together young East African men to connect, manage their mental health, and learn life skills to help them on their paths forward. The program is delivered by the United Women’s East Africa Support Team (UWEAST). The UWEAST project team have been able to develop strategies to tackle common problems, including accessing treatment for depression and PTSD and enabling the young men to avoid the cycle of gangs, drugs, and prison. Sahra Abdi, Executive Director at UWEAST says: “Boys in the UWEAST program have developed strong leadership skills, improved academically, engaged more in their community, gained confidence, and shown positive behavioral changes. They have also bonded, become role models for each other, and developed a positive outlook with higher aspirations and outcomes. Many young men have emerged as inspiring role models, guiding our community toward a hopeful and uplifting future.”
One of the team’s leading mentors, started out at UWEAST as a participant himself. Now, Kobe finds himself pursuing further education in mental health, so he can continue to do this work in his community. Watch Kobe’s full story.
Beyond the Ball: Creating a safe public space for kids to be kids
While Chicago’s Little Village is a vibrant, thriving community that is culturally rich, it has also struggled with historically public violence. A community with many young people and not always many options for things to do, gang activity has been rampant.
Beyond the Ball aims to provide another option, through opportunity. This program strives to build resilience, mental health, and emotional intelligence in its young community of boys through sport and play. The program creates a safe space for youth to learn about their feelings, about trauma, and help to give tools to develop ways of thinking to handle that trauma, in a space where there are adults around who really care about their wellbeing.
Rob Castaneda, Executive Director at Beyond the Ball says: “The way that I see Movember’s Making Connections project having an impact on the culture of our community is through this intentional work with these young men. Allowing these young men to become leaders in their own right. The goal for me is to have a safe neighborhood and have young people who are contributing to that. To have people who grow up in our community and see themselves as a solution to our shared challenges. This generation of young people, they don’t know this area – this historic area of violence and rivalry – as a dangerous place. They just know this as a place where they come to play.”
Rob’s words ring true when speaking with Brandon, a young mentor at Beyond the Ball who has come to know his community as a great place to grow up, in many ways thanks to the work the program has done, and in his vision for the future of his mentees. Watch Brandon’s full story.
Shifting the narrative
The journey forward for these programs is one with multiple paths. The boys who have come through the programs continue on paths of opportunity, while the communities embrace a shift in the narrative, one of belonging, connection, future change and future hope.
Erin Krummes-Johnson, Manager, Young Men’s Health Implementation at Movember says: “Because of Movember’s long-term investment, the next generation of boys in these communities are shifting the narrative of what it means to be part of a community. These young men have realized how important their voice, their roles are, and they have stepped into opportunities again and again. This creates a ripple effect by showcasing to younger generations what is possible.”
Learn more about the programs Movember funds, made possible thanks to your support.