Manweek: Another project worth talking about

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post entitled 10 social media projects worth talking about, highlighting the great work a number of charities were doing online. Today I have another project to add to the list. It’s a project I’ve had a personal involvement with – Manweek. Manweek was a concept created by The Inspire Foundation to raise awareness of depression and suicide amongst young males (young men are three times more likely to commit suicide than their female counterparts). The week-long campaign aimed at getting males talking openly about the emotions and challenges associated with life’s journey’s. The ultimate goal was encourage young males to discuss their problems, rather than bottling them inside. Today, the original Manweek concept has culminated into the launch of a book, entitled ‘The Perfect Gift for a Man‘, with all proceeds going to The Inspire Foundation.

The book is written by men, for men and tells 30 (often difficult) stories of respect, fragility, love, life and loss. They are stories we believe should be told and shared with men throughout the world in the spirit of acknowledging emotional frailties. The specific contents of the book can be viewed here.

My personal contribution to the book was a tale of love, ethnic tension & loss. I called it ‘Romeo & Juliet, circa 2009‘ and it recalls my experience of losing a soul mate due to parental influence and an irrepressible cultural divide. The issue of “breaking up” was one I believed had a strong relevance to young males, and it’s my hope that the eventual happy ending can give hope to those faced with similar heart ache.

While I’ve been fortunate enough to avoid any level of personal depression, I’ve seen first hand the brutal effects it can have in tearing apart the lives of close mates. Which is why I’m supporting the cause. And you can too by buying a copy of the book. The ebook  costs only $14.95 and contains some of the most personal and intimate short stories you’ll ever read. I guarantee it. Alternatively, the soft cover book can be purchased for $44.95. Here’s just a small sample of what you can expect from the book (as written by Scott Drummond):

“If I’ve learned anything through all this it is that there aren’t any hard-and-fast rules for how to be a man in this crazy and unpredictable emotional tornado we call life. The only thing we can really be assured of is that life will continue to change for us all, regardless of how much we wish it wouldn’t. All I know is that how you grow and evolve as a man to meet the challenges that life will inevitably throw at you is what really counts. I’ve learned that no matter how alone or broken you feel there are men and women who care enough to be there for you, to help you feel less broken and alone.”

A special thanks need to go to Gavin Heaton and Mark Pollard for embracing the Manweek concept and orchestrating the publication of the book. It’s also worth recognising Blurb, who offer a simple publication platform that provided the engine room for the book to be published.

Do the males in your life a favour, and buy a copy of the book today.

Be Sociable, Share!

• 
•