Samaritans Handbook: Engaging men earlier: a guide to service design (January 2021)

Summary

This handbook from the Samaritans provides a set of principles upon which wellbeing initiatives for men should be based, drawn from what men have said is important to them. By following these principles, wellbeing initiatives are more likely to be effective for, and appeal to, men going through tough times before reaching crisis point. 

This handbook is for anyone commissioning, designing, evaluating or delivering initiatives, services or activities aimed at improving the wellbeing of men.

Content

This handbook addresses three key questions that successful wellbeing initiatives for men must consider:

1. How can wellbeing initiatives engage less well-off men on a preventative basis earlier in their lives?
2. How can those wellbeing initiatives be seen as relevant to less well-off men earlier in their lives?
3. How can wellbeing initiatives maximise their impact for less well-off men by:

• increasing meaningful connections
• providing a sense of purpose.