Mental Health and Masculinity
The Man Cave is a preventative mental health and emotional intelligence organisation for young men and their parents. It highlights issues surrounding male mental health, and more specifically about preventative mental health.
Earlier this year, the Year 7 cohort had the opportunity to learn valuable lessons about mental health, gender stereotypes and emotional intelligence through The Man Cave. Students in the Middle Years are at a critical developmental phase where experiences like this can have a huge positive impact on the men they choose to become.
These kinds of experiences build self-esteem, develop emotional and social intelligence, increase mental and physical wellbeing, build resilience and, ultimately,help boys and young men lead better lives. For some, such experiences can positively change the entire course of their lives.
The workshops were extremely beneficial and the positive feedback from the students was overwhelming.
Alessia Schirru
Year 7 Learning Leader, Burke Hall Campus
Opening up the dialogue on healthy masculinity
“What does it mean to be a man?”
This question, as short and sharp as it is, was just one of many questions included in the making of the Student Consult’s Healthy Masculinity documentary.
In a diverse and ever-changing society, the words ‘healthy masculinity’ are thrown around a lot. At an all-boys school such as Xavier College, the phrase is prevalent in most assembly speeches and at wellbeing days.
However, this year’s Student Leaders wanted to delve deeper into the expression through a documentary-type video, to find out exactly what the young men and women of Xavier have to say about it.
Over a very busy Term 3, College Captain Ned Kelliher and members of the Student Consult travelled to Kostka Hall Campus, Burke Hall Campus and the Senior Campus to film a series of interviews with a variety of students. With the main focus of these interviews being on ‘the qualities of a good person or friend’, we were able to gain a range of different views from the younger years to the most senior boys. The most commonly mentioned traits of a good friend were ‘trustworthy’, ‘accepting’, ‘supportive’ and ‘understanding’. Students were also questioned on their heroes, their hobbies, and finally, what ‘healthy masculinity’ meant to them.
With the documentary currently being finalised, the Student Leaders hope that it acts as an educative resource for the College to use, whether it be shown in Religious Education classes or at assemblies.
For many years to come, the promotion of healthy masculinity at Xavier will continue in order to further develop students’ understanding of what it means to be a man in today’s society.
Julian Gangi
Prefect for Student Wellbeing
The Man Cave
The Man Cave is a preventative mental health and emotional intelligence organisation for young men and their parents. It highlights issues surrounding male mental health, and more specifically preventative mental health.
We engaged The Man Cave for our most recent Parent Forum with the intention of forming an aligned approach in working with students, families and teachers to develop a common message about healthy masculinity.
These kinds of experiences build self-esteem, develop emotional and social intelligence, increase mental and physical wellbeing, build resilience and ultimately, help boys and young men lead better lives. For some, such experiences can positively change the entire course of their future.
Following this activity, the Senior Prefect team visited the Early and Middle years to interview students regarding their perceptions and considerations of healthy masculinity. Their responses were thoughtful, honest and measured, and beautifully captured the essence of what The Man Cave is all about.
Modern education values greater parent engagement in both communication and active partnership to best support the areas of character and social development. Students in the Middle Years are at a critical developmental phase where experiences like this can have a huge positive impact on the men they choose to become.
Alessia Schirru
Year 7 Learning Leader, Burke Hall Campus
Lauren Borschmann
Dean of Middle Years, Burke Hall Campus
