The Office of the Prime Minister, Gender and Child Affairs Division has launched a platform with the expressed aim of providing support to men.
Recognising a need for additional help and support for young men and boys, especially when it comes to mental health, the Gender and Child Affairs Division of the Office of the Prime Minister created the Men’s Bureau.
According to Line Minister Ayanna Webster-Roy, the Bureau is designed to provide resources for men, including programmes to promote mental wellness and the creation of safe spaces.
“It’s an opportunity for us to continue building on what we have, and to engage partners throughout Trinidad and Tobago so that we ensure that what we produce for you, men, will be something of substance. And apart from what will be happening online in terms of the resources, there’s also the opportunity for us to provide that safe space where you could drop in at St. Clair to interact with some of our officers there and get the guidance and the support.”
Minister Webster-Roy encouraged men to actively participate and engage with the resources offered to them, saying they will determine whether or not the bureau is successful. She said this is yet another step to ensure Trinidad and Tobago becomes a better place.
“You have to help us help you. You have to help us populate not only the online space, but also the physical space. If you’re working with a group or an organisation that would be willing to lend support, or for counselling, or for advice, we open up our space to you.”
According to Founder, Activist of International Men’s Day Dr. Jerome Teelucksingh, it is important to understand that men also carry emotional and psychological trauma. He is advocating for the resolution of trauma in young men before carrying it into adulthood.
“One recommendation I want to make is the need for Safe Houses. We need Safe Houses for men, men who might be victims of domestic violence, men who might be drug addicts, men who might be coping, recovering. And I’ll tell you why we need a Safe House. When a man cannot cope mentally and he goes to St. Ann’s Mental Hospital, it is stigmatised. He’s crazy, he’s mad and when he comes out, he carries that for the rest of his life. That stigma.”
The Men’s Bureau is offering tailored programmes that address mental health, employment, family life, and masculinity. The online platform and its resources can be accessed through the OPM GCA website.