Two teenagers at Lees Brook Academy are getting active to raise awareness of men’s mental health.
Wes Howson and Ryan Smith are both Year 11 students at the school and want to make boys more aware of, and talk about, their mental health.
As part of their campaign to normalise talking about mental health for boys and men, the pair will be running 60k during November and are encouraging other students to get involved.
Ryan, 15, said: “There is a lot of stuff being promoted about mental health, but men’s mental health is an issue that seems to be spoken about less. It is the biggest killer in teenage males so it’s really important everyone can speak about it without stigma.”
Both he and Wes decided to talk to staff at the school about ways they could further support boys with their mental health.
They are both strong believers in the power of activity and sport and activity to lift mood and to help men open up about any issues they have.
Wes believes more opportunities to be active or play sport or be active to lift their mood would help.
Ryan, who has started boxing, agrees. “In the last 12 months, since I’ve started boxing, I’ve really started coming out of my shell and it has really helped me.”
They are talking to the school about the possibility of creating more opportunities and spaces for students to go if they are struggling with their emotions, where they can be active and take their mind off their problems.
“I think sometimes quiet places to reflect can make dealing with difficult emotions harder,” said Wes. “Sometimes you need to do something which will help deal with how you’re feeling.”
Ryan and Wes also believe peers and celebrities have a large role to play in normalising mental health discussions for boys. They say the priority needs to be making boys aware of the issue so they can then go and talk to someone they trust.
“I know when Tyson Fury started talking about his mental health, a lot more people felt it was ok to do the same because if a big boxer could admit he had struggles then so could they,” said Ryan.
And Wes said promotional campaigns such as that by Norwich City Football Club, which launched a powerful video last month for World Mental Health Day, also helped, and drew attention to the fact that it is sometimes the people who seem the cheeriest who are struggling.
Ryan added: “I also think it would be powerful to hear from people our own age who are going through the same things because you feel you can relate to them more.
“I know we sometimes have speakers who are older who come in to talk about how they have overcome situations, but sometimes it can be hard to relate to them, so I think people our own age could have a really powerful message which boys would listen to.”
Now both teenagers are signing up to the Movember campaign to run 60kms in the month of November. The distance is set to remember the 60 men lost globally to suicide, every hour.
Wes and Ryan will be getting up and running before school and doing extra laps at school if needed. Lees Brook Academy, part of the Archway Learning Trust, has marked out a track around the school.
“I’m hoping other people will join in, and maybe if they haven’t tried running before, they may find it helps them to keep it up,” said Ryan. “I know since I started boxing and running it has helped change my life around, so running may do that for someone else.”
In addition, the school is also encouraging students to grow or design a moustache throughout November to raise funds and be in with a chance of winning a prize.
Éanna Aubery, Associate Assistant Principal, is supporting the boys in their work to raise the profile of men’s mental health.
She said: “The best thing about working in a school like Lees Brook Academy is the fantastic group of students we have. The mental wellbeing of everyone at the school, staff and students, is something we focus on a lot. Ryan and Wes have some fantastic ideas of how we can support boys and young men in our school with their mental health and we’ll certainly be listening to these and taking them on board.”
