NEWS: Men for Togetherness - Building a National Conversation Around Positive Masculinity
Why Talk About Men Right Now?
Social solidarity sits at the heart of CSC’s mission, yet one group appears to be quietly slipping excluded from the conversation: men. Statistics around male loneliness, addictions, obesity, and mental‑health crises tell a stark story; suicide rates are back on the rise and are three times more common among men than among women. When men feel disconnected—from friends, family, community, or purpose—everyone loses: partners, children, neighbourhoods, workplaces, and, ultimately, the very social cohesion we all need to keep society itself together.
We believe the solution is to invite men to lead the conversation on what healthy, compassionate and authentic masculinity could look like—then empower them to model it, together and in collaboration with their communities.
Through our 32 Steps to Togetherness programme, we have found that bringing people together to tell their stories in their own words and build collective visions and plans for action are vital steps towards rebuilding community. It is essential that men of all ages, faiths and backgrounds are part of this collective movement.
Introducing Men for Togetherness
Men for Togetherness is an idea being explored by CSC as part of our 32 Steps to Togetherness initiative. As ever we are looking to bring together a coalition of partners with shared values to develop a bid to fund this work.
Current identified partners include:
Protection Approaches (violent‑extremism prevention charity working nationally)
MensCraft CIC (focused on men’s wellbeing in East Anglia)
Grassroots civil society groups, town councils and social action/faith-based organisations in Essex, Lincolnshire, London, Stoke-on-Trent, Haverhill, Thetford and Great Yarmouth in Norfolk.
We are currently reaching out to other colleagues and organisations, for example, the East London Mosque, Modern Cockney Festival, Jo Cox Foundation, More in Common network, Fatherhood Institute, Men's Sheds Association, Thetford and Haverhill Town Councils, REACH Haverhill, Consortium LGBT, Community Action Norfolk, Open Road Visions (Essex), The Centre for Reconciliation (Lincoln), GYROS migrant support (Great Yarmouth) and YMCA North Staffordshire.
Our shared aim is to spark and sustain a national dialogue that champions positive masculinity and fatherhood, tackles loneliness and isolation, and bridges social or political divides.
What We’ll Explore—With Men, Not About Men
Positive narratives of masculinity & fatherhood
How social change, technology and economics are reshaping men’s roles
Barriers that still keep men from embracing healthier identities
Men’s own ideas for reconnecting with other men and with their wider communities
From Idea to Action: Demonstration Projects
To keep the work grounded, we’ll test ideas in real‑world “labs” and share what works:
| Demonstration Strand | Snapshot | Expected Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Bench Natter: Positive Masculinity & Fatherhood (film‑documented pop‑up conversations in public spaces) |
Launching with MensCraft CIC in Great Yarmouth this September, then touring to Haverhill, Thetford and (possibly) Basildon |
Authentic, on‑camera stories Local men become visible role‑models Resource library for schools & youth hubs |
| Community Skill‑Swaps & Men’s Sheds | Partnering with existing sheds and setting up new ones in urban “cold spots” |
Hands‑on peer support Inter‑generational mentoring |
| Young Men’s Roundtables | Co‑created workshops in colleges, youth clubs and grassroots football teams |
Early intervention against loneliness & polarisation Pipeline of youth advisers shaping the project |
| Digital Storybank | Short films and podcasts amplifying men’s voices nationally |
Scalable reach beyond pilot areas Content for partners’ campaigns and policy briefs |
Every strand will be rigorously evaluated—capturing shifts in wellbeing, sense of belonging, and civic participation—so that funders, local authorities and other charities can replicate success and build from our learning.
Why This Matters for Social Solidarity
Healthier men = healthier communities: When men maintain supportive friendships and purpose, rates of addiction, domestic conflict and mental‑health crises fall
Bridging divides: Structured dialogue between men of different ages, ethnicities and political views counteracts online echo‑chambers
Fatherhood ripple‑effect: Children benefit directly when dads feel confident, connected and present.
Next Steps
We’re working on our proposal now and gathering early “buy‑in” from:
Academic allies in gender studies and public‑health research
Regional voluntary and community networks keen to host pilots
Storytelling partners
If your organisation shares our vision—whether in funding, facilitation, research or communications—we’d love to hear from you. Together, we can re‑imagine masculinity as a force for connection, wellbeing and lasting social solidarity.
For partnership enquiries or to receive the full proposal once developed for submission to funders, contact Mark and/or Janaki at CSC:
