Our Men in Mind Project works in East Sussex to equip and empower public facing staff in spaces where men work and visit to have supportive conversations about men’s mental health.

Men in Mind is delivered in partnership between Mind in Brighton and Hove and Grassroots Suicide Prevention. Together we aim to deliver training, workshops and resources to enable participants to have supportive conversations about men’s mental health, to be alert to the signs of suicide, and connect people to appropriate support.

The Men in Mind project works with businesses such as:

  • Pubs

  • Barber Shops

  • Sports Venues

  • Construction

  • Refuse Collection

  • Job Centres

For more information or to book training please contact

Peter Bray – Project Coordinator:

Email: Peter.Bray@mindcharity.co.uk

Telephone: 07871 855 794

You can also book free Men in Mind suicide awareness and prevention training for your organisation through Grassroots Suicide Prevention here.

Mental Health Support in East Sussex

The Sussex Mental Health Line: Call 111 and select 'option 2’ Open 24/7

You can find a full directory of mental health support across East Sussex on the East Sussex 1 space website here.

National Support Lines

The Samaritans: Call 116 123 - Open 24/7

CALM: 0800 58 58 58 - Open 5pm to midnight

Project Aims:

  • Engage with men in spaces where men work and visit to identify their mental health training and support needs.

  • Engage and equip public facing staff in settings that men frequent for work and/or leisure to have supportive conversations with their clients and customers about mental health and wellbeing.

  • Develop ways to support local men to gain or expand their knowledge and awareness of mental health and how to maintain and safeguard their own mental wellbeing.

  • Enable men to have supportive interactions with their peers who may be at risk of, or experiencing, mental health problems, including knowledge of where and how to signpost and access local mental health support services as appropriate.

  • Develop opportunities for working age men to engage with others, establish links and offer reciprocal support that positively impacts on their mental health and wellbeing.

Why is this important?

  • Nationally over three quarters of all suicides are by men and in East Sussex the suicide rate has been significantly higher than the England average for a number of years.

  • Traditional ideas of ‘masculinity’ influences men’s willingness to engage with mental health and wellbeing interventions.

  • Research by the Samaritans and Men’s Health Forum shows that men prefer to engage with mental health support in safe and familiar environments where there is a sense of community and / or peer support.

  • Men’s Health Forum recently published a report suggesting that men may lack knowledge and awareness of what supports good mental health and are unable to recognise and take action on warning signs.

  • Therefore, it is important to proactively engage men with a community based approach providing the skills and confidence to support good mental health in daily life.