Creating a culture of Positive Masculinity is a team effort and it is important that parents, guardians, educators and school staff work together.
Growing up is hard, and the scrutiny of boys and young men is acute. What is it about masculinity that is problematic? We know that the statistics aren’t good – higher rates of aggression, violence and suicide and poorer school performance. So much progress has been made in terms of acknowledgment and awareness of mental health, yet so many boys and young men are still suffering.
But by giving boys and young men the right tools early on, we can help them to deal with the ups and downs of life. Positive masculinity isn’t just a fancy phrase, it’s a set of practices, curriculum and evidence-based advice for boys, their parents, carers and teachers.
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Parents and guardians carers are the first influences in their child’s life and as such play a huge role in establishing, prioritising and nurturing positive masculinity.
There is much that parents and carers can do to reject the stoic, ‘be a man’ messages of the past and to encourage positive masculinity in their children.
In the same way that your child is more likely to make healthy lifestyle choices if they have grown up in a household which encourages this, they will also be drawn to others who value positive masculinity.
Parents and guardians help make important decisions about their child’s education but also what their child does in their down time. What does their non school life look like? Is there sport, musical or other pursuits. What are their diets like, sleep habits, holiday times, celebrations and other family routines and rituals – all these elements are initially determined by the parents and guardians.
Resources for Parents and Guardians
Educators and Schools have an important role in ensuring that a culture of positive masculinity is valued and encouraged to flourish. Programs developed for young men can support them to shape their perceptions of manhood. Schools are the ideal environment for boys and young men to absorb what it takes to follow a positive masculinity framework.
In the same way that the parents and carers determine the non school part of their son’s lives, the culture of the school and it’s core values and goals are the determinants of how positive masculinity is incorporated into the school’s culture.
Resources for educators and schools
