Healthyrelationships
Camp
This session will develop your understanding of the pressures and expectations that boys experience as they grow up, and explore what it looks like to nurture positive masculinity within the camp environment We start by dispelling the polarizing concept of ‘toxic’ masculinity, and unpack the nuance of ‘precarious’ masculinity instead. We then share a framework for positive masculinity that supports masculine-identifying youth in becoming their best selves, and discuss how to put these elements of masculinity in practice
KEY TOPICS
● ‘Toxic’ masculinity
● Precarious masculinity
● Positive masculinity
● Role models & representation
● Activity with campers/staff: The Man Box
This session will help you identify the links between traditional norms of masculinity and mental health struggles, and better support boys’ well-being through positive psychology and peer relationships We begin by examining the challenges facing masculine-identifying youth as they grow up, such as relational disconnection, emotional illiteracy, increased risk and decreased help-seeking behaviours. We use these as a springboard, however, to explore how boys’ authentic identities and closest relationships at camp can be guided towards positive outcomes.
KEY TOPICS
● Risk factors
● Positive psychology/masculinity
● Protective factors
● Boys’ friendships
● Lesson with campers/staff: The Mask You Live In
This session will help you understand what draws boys and young men towards anti-feminist influencers online, and practice an affirming, strengths-based approach to transformative conversations We start by defining the characteristics of the online culture in which masculine-identifying youth find themselves outside of camp, and the different harms associated with it. We then explore the core needs drawing boys into those spheres of influence, and practice how to engage them as shared stakeholders in their own positive development
KEY TOPICS
● The manosphere
● Domination-based masculinity
● Circle of courage
● Transformative conversations
● Lesson with campers/staff: Where Do You Draw the Line?
This session will help you uncover the reasons why most consent education isn’t as relevant, resonant or realistic as it should be for boys and young men, and become equipped to engage them more effectively. We begin by broadening the way we talk about consent with all young people, and then delve into the pressures, experiences and feelings that uniquely impact boys’ understanding of consent From there, we discuss how to engage them in more accessible ways of understanding and practicing consent while at camp this summer.
KEY TOPICS
● Traditional consent education
● Pressure to perform
● Normalized violence
● Consent culture
● Lesson with campers/staff: Not a Cup of Tea
WhatEducatorsAreSaying
Ever since Next Gen Men started delivering programs in 2014, evaluation has been an integral part of our programming (see nextgenmen ca/reports) While the majority of our evaluation has been carried out in schools, our evaluation data is still relevant to the engaging and meaningful learning environments we are able to foster within pre-camp staff training. Here’s what we know about our professional development.
RELEVANT TO WORK BEING DONE WITH MASCULINEIDENTIFYING STUDENTS
100% of educators participating in our 2024 cohort found the information discussed in the sessions relevant to their work with masculineidentifying students
A CATALYST FOR CONVERSATION ON POSITIVE MASCULINITY
We’ve also tracked the extent to which educators become leaders of valuable conversations within their professional community 67% of educators in 2023-2024 reported that they had shared part of what they had learned with their colleagues at school.
AN OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME MORE SKILLED IN ENGAGING BOYS
We directly connect the sessions to lessons with students from our program guide (see nextgenmen.ca/manual). 92% of educators in 2023-2024 said they had a clear actionable next step to put what they learned into practice with students 70% later reported they had taken action in a way that directly impacted students.
A SOURCE OF NEW AND VALUABLE INFORMATION ON BOYS’ DEVELOPMENT
We include diagnostic assessment in our delivery in order to ensure that we are consistently offering new and compelling stories, research and resources. 100% of educators in 2024 said they learned something new
“These presentations continue to be wonderful. The right information at the right time The pacing is great and the conversations that are sparked have been extremely impactful.”
— DIRECTOR OF WELLNESS AT MONTCREST SCHOOL
