The Men’s Services Network Tasmania (MSNT) for men and acted as a peak body for men’s issues at a state level. The Tasmanian Men’s Health and Wellbeing Association (TasMen) has played a part in trying to fill this space - although being staffed completely by volunteers and with almost no funding, it has struggled to formally represent men in a substantial way or to establish programs beyond their annual Tasmanian Men’s Gathering. The Australasian Men’s Health Forum is a national peak body for a social view of men’s health and hosts the biennial men’s health conferences, the last of which was held in October in Perth, W.A. In recent months Male Health Victoria and the NSW Men’s Health Forum have both been formed.
In early 2007, a Google search for Men’s Health Week in Tasmania produced one current result - Tim Cox making the point on ABC radio that there was nothing happening for Men’s Health Week. At the time, I was involved in establishing a “Men’s Shed”, in Hobart, for which I needed to source men’s health information. There was very little material around, focused on or appealing to men and what was available was hard to find. I began networking with a few other people who were also focusing on “men” in their work, including Matthew Magnus from Relationships Australia and Brian Morris from TasCAHRD. We all agreed that in working with men who often experience isolation, we ourselves were working in isolation, even within fairly sizable organisations. We decided to meet regularly to touch base about our work, what was having positive results, what wasn’t and how we as communitybased workers could take a lead in improving our work with and support for men in the community. It was an idea whose time had clearly come, as almost identical conversations were happening in Launceston and across the North West coast. By early 2008 the three networks were in touch and working to develop a single, statewide body. In June of that year I was fortunate to take on my current role as Men’s Health Policy Officer with the Department of Health and
Human Services and by August we had met for the first time as the statewide group, Men’s Services Network Tasmania (MSNT). Since then, the group has met quarterly; collaborated on bringing training for working with men to the state, run the Health4Men forum in 2010 and contributed to a planning strategy on homelessness.
“We’re focussed on working with men to share our ideas, successes and failures and to learning more about specific issues relating to men.” Our meetings have continued to be fairly informal in nature, but filled with passion and an ongoing desire to see improved health opportunities and outcomes for men across Tasmania. The network is committed to connecting as people - both men and women are welcome. We share our ideas, successes and failures and learn more about specific issues related to working with men. At our most recent meeting we had a challenging discussion about family violence and related issues for men. On a national level, there have been few other state-based groups bringing workers together to focus on men’s health and wellbeing. The Men’s Advisory Network of Western Australia was, until recently, the only organisation with any significant level of funding that advocated
The MSNT is still an informal network, but has close ties with TasMen our web page is in fact hosted by TasMen. Our meetings are generally held in Campbell Town, but occasionally local groups meet in the three regions. Anyone interested in getting involved or supporting the MSNT is welcome to come along to the meetings, to put your views, concerns and opportunities forward. Article by Jonathan Bedloe, Men’s Health Policy and Program Officer, Department of Health & Human Services plus provides secretariat support for the MSNT. You can contact Jonathan Bedloe if you would like to come along to one of the state-wide meetings or if you wish to be put in touch with the regional groups.
USEFUL RESOURCES Men’s Services Network Tasmania (MSNT) www.tasmen.org.au/ mens-services-network Tasmanian Men’s Health & Wellbeing Association (Tasmen) www.tasmen.org.au Jonathan Bedloe, Men’s Health Policy & program Officer, DHHS jonathan.bedloe@dhhs.tas. gov.au
PAGE 15