As Movember is well under way, Harry Evans, the UON Mens team Welfare Rep and Vice President, opened up about the conversations and stigmas surrounding men’s mental health and his role in the team’s committee.
As part of an all-male team, it is important to raise awareness of men’s mental health. Having an individual who is there to listen and guide these conversations is vital to the brotherhood which the Bears build year-in-year-out,
“Being part of an all-men society, people don’t tend to speak up so when there’s someone that people know they can talk to and will listen to them, it helps them to open up about problems and issues they might have,” said Evans.
Taking on the role based on his experiences in first year, Evans wanted to be there for others like current President Oscar Chapman was for him: “My “father” in the club was Oscar Chapman last year and he played the role incredibly.
“He helped me with issues I had with my course and he was always there for me and I wanted to take over that role and be that person for other people just as he was for me.”
His role as welfare rep is vital to the team, especially in the month of November when the boys dedicate time to raising awareness of men’s mental health,
“The main aspect of it is the charity side of it,
“Movember we all grow silly moustaches and raise money but then we also always remember what that means to us it is men’s mental health and that is the main goal of it.
“We are there to spread awareness of men’s mental health and everything that involves in it and around it.”
Conversations about men’s mental health are so significant and it is something which Evans is looking to break,
“There’s a stigma for men that they’ve got to man up and they’ve just got to deal with their problems.
“They don’t talk about it, they keep it inside and I want to break that stigma.
“I want it to be known that its okay to speak about your feelings as a man and there shouldn’t be an issue with opening up and talking about your feelings. I want to break that stigma!”
With the goal of building a brotherhood, the Bears remain united in their endeavors to challenge the stigma around mental health as they raise money throughout the month of November for the Movember Charity.