Movember and Knot Lab team up to co-develop new men’s mental health initiative

 

Men at risk of becoming socially isolated following the global pandemic will be able to access new ways of receiving support for their mental health, thanks to Movember.

 

The global men’s health charity has announced that they will be investing a total of AUD $3.54 million into 11 projects across Australia, Canada, the UK and Ireland, as part of the Movember’s Social Connections Challenge.

 

One of those projects is Hello Jack, a multi-generational skill sharing platform being developed by Knot Lab Inc. based in Toronto, Canada. According to Knot Lab Co-Founder Alexandra Pittiglio, Skill Gen is a place where experienced, skilled, and wise seniors can impart their knowledge on younger Canadians looking for new information. It  will be a mobile or web based application that will serve as a meeting point between vetted parties in search  of a new experience. Retired professionals can mentor entry level employees in their field, hobbyists can  teach seminars on the basics of woodworking, immigrants can share stories of their journey to Canada with  curious historians.

 

Co-Founder Frank Petrisano confirms that the purpose of the application goes beyond creating a temporary sense of purpose for isolated seniors, offering an opportunity for valuable life lessons and skills to be learned through the connections made. Men are  especially ill equipped to ask for help and guidance (at all ages) and facilitating this connection will give both age  groups the feeling of inclusion and development that will leave a lasting impact.

 

Movember launched the Social Connections Challenge in 2020, with the aim of identifying strategies that will strengthen the social connections of men who are struggling with isolation and poor mental health, particularly in the wake of COVID-19 lockdowns.

 

Results of a study commissioned by Movember in May 2020 found that nearly a quarter of men globally (23 per cent) reported their mental health had worsened in the first six weeks of the pandemic.

 

Brendan Maher, Global Mental Health Director at Movember, said: “This was an opportunity to shake things up and identify the amazing ways that people have been keeping connected using technology during the global pandemic.

 

‘We were looking for fresh, innovative technology-based ideas to address the problem of loneliness, isolation and improve social connectedness in men and strengthen their overall mental health. For this challenge, we prioritised men who are at greater risk of social isolation because of where they live, their socio-economic status or cultural background.

 

“We’re really looking forward to working with our new partners to develop initiatives that will support the mental health of men who are at risk `of becoming socially isolated.”

 

For more information about the Social Connections Challenge, and to see the full list of funded projects, please visit movember.com/SCC.

 

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