The Men’s Health Forum in Ireland (MHFI) recently produced eight new videos on working with men - three for use as group work resources in the Engage National Men’s Health Training Programme and five examples of effective practice with men.  The latter five videos focused upon: (1) Men on the Move Project in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford; (2) Mojo Project in Tallaght, Dublin; (3) Kilcock Men’s Shed in Co. Kildare; (4) Men About The Town (MATT) in Newry, Co. Down; (5) The Larkin Centre in North Inner City Dublin.  All of these five short videos give a sense of why men wanted to join the projects and what they get from being there.  You can view them online at: www.youtube.com/channel/UCukqjWhGpp1SlnJkIo-0VvA/videos

MHFI is, currently, trying to recruit 100 subscribers to this YouTube Channel so that we can get a user-friendly web address.  If you have a Google Account, would you be willing to subscribe and/or ask your colleagues and friends to do so?  If so, visit: www.youtube.com/channel/UCukqjWhGpp1SlnJkIo-0VvA  and click the red ‘Subscribe’ button.

Health professionals, youth and community workers, and frontline staff are invited to apply for a place on a Gender and Health Workshop which will take place on Tuesday 9th May 2017, from 9.15am - 4.30pm, in the Regional Education Centre, Ardee, Co. Louth.  The aims of the workshop are to: explain the difference between sex and gender; explore how gender intersects with other determinants of health and can determine health status; identify how our own perceptions of gender roles can influence our attitudes and behaviours; describe roles and norms concerning masculinities and femininities; look at ways of working from a gender sensitive perspective to reduce inequity and improve health outcomes.  This training is being facilitated by Finian Murray (Development Officer for Men’s Health, HSE) and Jacqueline Healy (National Women’s Council of Ireland).  For more details, contact Orla Brady at Tel: 046 9076443  |  Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Green Ribbon month kicks off on 1st May 2017.  See Change is asking everyone to wear a green ribbon to support the movement to spark a national conversation about mental health in Ireland’s boardrooms, break-rooms, chat rooms, clubhouses, arts venues and around kitchen tables.  Are you thinking about getting your community talking about mental health for Green Ribbon month?  This year, half a million ribbons are available free of charge.  Orders will be accepted for 50 or more, with individual ribbons available from Irish Rail stations and all Boots stores throughout May.

You are invited to apply for a place on an eight week 'Male Walking Football and Health Information Project' which will commence on Tuesday 25th April 2017, from 11.00am - 12.30pm, in the Jethro Centre, Lurgan, Co. Armagh.  In addition to a weekly walking football session, there will be health checks and health information talks.  If this is something you would like to get involved in, contact Frances Haughey on Tel: 07500 772905  |  Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

If you are supporting someone with a cancer diagnosis, researchers from Queen’s University Belfast would like to hear about: your experience and the impact on you; how you cope; the support you might need.  This would involve an informal interview with a researcher and the completion of a short questionnaire.  To participate, you must: live in Northern Ireland; be over the age of 18 years; be a spouse/partner, family member, or close friend of the person with cancer; support someone with cancer who has now finished or is coming towards the end of their treatment.  If you'd be willing to take part in this study, contact Emily for further information at Tel: 02890 975764  |  Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Carers Northern Ireland are inviting people to participate in their annual online ‘State of Caring’ survey to highlight the reality of what it means to care for a family member or friend in 2017.  Participants are asked to share their experience, and to make suggestions about what needs to change.  To contribute, visit: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/stateofcaring2017

The Irish Heart Foundation is inviting everyone to sign their petition to stop junk food and drink brands deliberately targeting children behind their parents’ backs on social media.  One in four children in Ireland is obese or overweight.  However, slick marketing tactics by junk food brands help establish and encourage eating habits that cause obesity and can have lifelong and, sometimes, life-limiting health consequences.  The Irish Heart Foundation is asking government to end the daily bombardment of such adverts by regulating online and social media marketing, and extending the current broadcast ban to 9.00pm.  Find out more at: https://irishheart.ie/campaigns/stop-targeting-kids

This one-day training seeks to increase the knowledge and skills of participants to support the development of a sexual health policy within their respective organisations.  It will be of interest to workers who are addressing the sexual health needs of young people through the provision of education, support and advocacy services, as well as other related service provision.  The training is co-facilitated by the National Youth Council of Ireland and HIV Ireland, and will take place on Thursday 4th May 2017, from 10.00am to 4.30pm, in HIV Ireland, 70 Eccles Street, Dublin 7.  Places can be booked at: www.eventbrite.ie/e/good-practice-developing-a-sexual-health-policy-tickets-32922274409