The Foundation’s Australian Mental Health Initiative brings together teams from across sectors and around the country to collaborate on projects that focus on keeping men and boys mentally healthy in the community and workplace, encouraging those with a mental health problem to take action early and reducing the stigma associated with mental health.
With one in eight Australian men experiencing depression in their lifetime and suicide remaining the leading cause of death for men aged 15 to 44, this record investment shows the Movember Foundation’s commitment to the mental health and wellbeing of Australian men and boys.
The Movember Foundation’s Australian Mental Health Initiative will fund a total of eight collaborative teams to implement three-year projects. Each team will be led by some of Australia’s leading community, sporting, research and program delivery organisations:
• Institute of Urban Indigenous Health
• University of New South Wales
• Black Dog Institute (co-funded with beyondblue)
• Monash University (co-funded with beyondblue)
• Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne
• AFL Players Association & Young and Well CRC*
• Australasian Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health*
• University of Wollongong*
Jeremy Macvean, Movember’s Asia Pacific Director, said the Foundation received an overwhelming number of applications, highlighting that community is passionate about addressing the state of male mental health.
“Almost half (48 per cent) of Australian men will experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives and around three-quarters of suicides are men ,” said Jeremy.
“We’re putting our money where our Mo is to help break down the stigma associated with mental health by collaborating with experts in the field to ensure men and boys are both physically and mentally healthy,” he added.
* to be funded from Movember’s 2014 campaign, subject to total funds raised
