About us
Our reason for being
Men are more likely to experience; homelessness, workplace accidents, road death, premature death as well as risk taking related misadventure and injury. Men, are overwhelmingly responsible for violent and other crimes, including harm to other men through lateral violence. Sadly, over 2,300 Australian men suicide each year. With men harming others and themselves, we sink deeper into a social crisis.
We are doing our best to address the causes of issues men face, and not just symptoms, while considering the diversity of individual men’s needs, hopes and dreams.
We aim to use the resources we have—our business, our networks, our voice and our passion—to do something about it.
Men & Co. Services inception began as the need for men’s specific services was increasingly raised and recognised. At Men & Co. Services, we acknowledge that the state of men’s health, wellbeing and behaviours need urgent holistic attention.
Meet our Men & Co. Advisory Committee
Nolan
Nolan has committed much of his working life, both in government and NGOs, to improving the lives of First Nations peoples in criminal, child protection and domestic and family violence matters. He is a senior facilitator in MBCPs having been directly trained and mentored by the founders of the Duluth model and is widely experienced in both court-mandated and non-mandated program delivery. Nolan was integral in the trial and subsequent rollout of the Specialist Domestic and Family Violence Court across Queensland. He is an adviser to MBCP providers, academia and government DFV prevention working groups. Nolan would like to see appropriate government funding of MBCPs such that no man ever has to wait to enter programs as well as an entirely new maintenance program for men who have successfully undertaken change in their lives.
Mark
Mark’s work in behavioural change spans 30 years in which he has delivered frontline interventions through client counselling, behavioural change programs, professional development, supervision and training. Mark was one of the principal trainers in the Common Risk and Safety Framework as part of establishment of the High-Risk Teams in the Queensland trial sites. He works for QCDFVR as an associate lecturer and delivers DFV training and practitioner supervision. Mark has a degree in Psychological Science and a Master of Research. Working with men is invigorating, challenging, and sometimes frustrating. Change can be slow, but witnessing breakthroughs is a privilege. I don’t see myself as an expert, but as an active participant in the journey — inviting “come this way” rather than directing “go that way.” We all need help at times; asking for it is often the hardest step, yet the key to a happier life.
There are large gaps in services for men, in mental health, youth intervention, health promotion as well as domestic and family violence.
The men’s health, safety and wellbeing sector requires an engine to drive accessible frontline services and appropriate initiatives. When men and boys choose health, safe behaviours and wellbeing, it will in turn positively impact every community. Men will be healthier and happier and the impact will mostly be felt by the ones men love; women, children and families, whatever those families might look like.
Our values
SAFETY
This is powerful work that transforms and challenges people and systems. We create the safe spaces for people to be brave; to show up and be seen, to build skills around accountability, courage, and empathy.
WORKING TOGETHER
The issues we face as a society and as men, require strong, yet kind collaboration. We work together to unite knowledge, lived experiences and best practices and innovate to develop new ways to approach the mechanisms of our collective challenges.
RESPECT
We believe the most effective way to tackle issues of mental health, violence and systemic bias is to name them, talk about them, and take personal and collective responsibility to change them and we do this together.
Our sister service, The Centre for Women & Co. has stayed true to core values during its 30 years in community services delivery. Staying true to core values of integrity, compassion and respect has helped create an organisation that we're proud to run and work for. Our sister service has shown us what it takes to deliver meaningful bottom up services, that result in improved outcomes for the community. We will co-exist, collaborate with, and honour these principals and structures.
Men & Co. Services values the backdrop of decades of tireless work of our predecessors, who have paved the way for us to be the first to open a holistic, multidisciplinary centre dedicated to men and the positive movement toward a men’s health, safety and wellbeing sector.
We are uniquely placed to respond in an equitable way to the diverse needs of the men that engage with us.
Our vision
A Men & Co. Service in every region, where men can access the supports and the materials they require to build healthy bodies, minds and relationships. Men & Co. Services strives to support well-being of men and communities by embracing risk and acting as part of an integrated response, to reclaim the positive and respectful aspects of masculinity.
