Beneath The Surface

Men's Mental Health and the Power of Peer-to-Peer Support

Episode Summary

Andy Bampton (Andy's Man Club) talks about why men's mental health is under pressure and how peer-to-peer support can help

Episode Notes

Andy Bampton first got involved with the suicide prevention charity Andy's Man Club when his own son had thoughts of taking his own life. He took his son along to a group (where weekly, free peer-to-peer support is offered) and then eventually got involved in running the organisation himself, having seen the transformative power of peer-to-peer support.

In this fascinating episode, Andy joins hosts Lila and Perminder for a very insightful and honest conversation, including these themes:

• Why men feel under pressure and often unable to talk to people about their thoughts and feelings
• How culture, society, religion and workplace contexts can make speaking up harder and not easier (and how to change that)
• Why peer-to-peer support is especially effective for men
• The crucial roles of validation, respect, equality and confidentiality in getting men to speak
• The role of women in men's mental health
• What negative media and public perceptions of the UK water sector could be doing to mental health in the industry
• What leaders must do to help people in their organisations (and themselves) make progress

You can find out more about Andy's Man Club at andysmanclub.co.uk

Warning - themes of suicide are talked about in this episode, though it is not the main theme of the episode.