Newground Together

A group for men to come together to open up about their mental health International Men’s Day is a global awareness day that looks at the importance of men’s physical and mental health and positive masculinity, and this year, its theme is ‘Zero Male Suicide’. During a six-month period, Newground Together supported a weekly men’s mental health peer support group for men aged 18 and above. The group is open to men living in the Sheffield S2 postcode area, or who are registered with a GP Practice in the S2 area and are referred through the Social Prescribing Pathway. It’s called ‘Let’s Have a Chat’ and aims to increase the confidence and self-esteem of men who feel lonely and don’t think they can talk to their family or friends about what they’re struggling with. The group raises awareness of male suicide, leading on to open, informed discussions about suicide prevention and where to access timely help and support when it’s needed. The members can meet in a safe and supportive environment where conversations about men’s mental health and wellbeing can take place and they can mutually support each other. The group has created a warm inviting space in their base at York House and is now supported by Sheffield City Council Suicide Prevention Programme, Manor Assembly Community Forum and Manor and Castle Development Trust. The group provides refreshments to all members who come along at no cost to themselves. These sessions support the men in understanding their feelings and emotions and finding techniques and coping mechanisms which can help during difficult times. By learning from each other’s lived experiences, they can share some solutions, tools and techniques that can help in the future. The group has supported a number of men in the local community who might not use other services to build a connection with others and themselves. They do this through various activities like connecting with nature with walk and talk opportunities. The group encourages a sense of belonging for those who may have need it the most and it helps to support, respect and encourage each member to share their stories and grow no matter what stage of their journey they may be at. Group members even have the opportunity look into other MCDT groups like ‘Take Part in the Garden’ on Tuesday mornings, ‘The Breakfast Club’ and an ‘Eat Well’ group. The tailored approach using conversation and group activities has been key for all members; where a more formal setting would have been more difficult for them to open up to others, the ‘Let’s Have a Chat’ group has allowed men to have the freedom to express themselves, comfortably and without worry.

When they meet