Introducing Our Newest Associate Partner, MensCraft

MensCraft is a Norfolk-based charity with an exclusive focus on men’s health and wellbeing.

Founded in 2010, we set-up the Norwich Men’s Shed, at the time one of the UK’s first. By 2020 we’d changed from a Community Interest Company (CIC) to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). We’ve expanded from a handful of volunteers to a team working across Norfolk and Waveney with a central office and activities space in Norwich. Our funding derives from local and national trusts, local health, statutory organisations, as well as individual and corporate donations.

Men are referred to our difference services from a variety of sources, including, the Norfolk Community Advice Network (NCAN); local GP surgeries; adult and child social care services; other charitable organisations; social prescribers; via family, friends and self-referral.

MensCraft and the University of East Anglia

We have worked with the UEA over several years, including taking second year social work student placements; actively participating in the promotion of student welfare (presentations and information days), engaging in the UEA Civic University Project and partner of the How’s Your Father shows in association with the School of Social Work.

The show was aimed at the public, in public spaces, but also audiences of social work and family support professionals, to support more inclusive work with fathers. The show was performed to staff working in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex Children’s Services, in their workplaces, within the working day, followed by Q&A sessions and training workshops.

Our Mission and Principles

We believe that happier, healthier men make better friends, partners, colleagues, brothers, sons and fathers. We provide activity, meaning and connection via a range of programmes and services to facilitate and make a positive difference.

In addition, we promote constructive conversations about men, maleness and masculinity and raise awareness and support for compatible-services and organisations.

We emphasise the benefits of connection and involvement to mitigate feelings of hopelessness and isolation and understand the value of enabling men to access creative activities.

Our work is underpinned by a commitment to providing an inclusive environment accessible to all who identify as male regardless of age, race, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, non-discriminatory beliefs, socioeconomic status, past experiences and faith.

Our Core Services

Our services, programmes and activities include:

The Contact Service

• We offer support for men who are ideating around suicide and at the edge of crisis via The Contact Service.
• Our Contact Service coordinators work across Norfolk and Waveney offering confidential and tailored support, safety planning and signposting to other support services.
• We also offer group-based peer support sessions for men experiencing suicidal ideation and men with experience of the criminal justice system.

DadsOnSide

• DadsOnside is a programme for men who are struggling with fatherhood and, or are, at risk of losing meaningful contact with their children.
• As part of this programme, we are offering expectant dads free Learner Dads workshops in Norwich and Great Yarmouth across various dates from August 2024 to early 2025 designed to prepare men for birth, offering some post-birth support and connection with other dads to share experiences.
• Our Caring Dads online courses and interactive discussions are designed to provide positive, empathetic and caring solutions to put children first.

The Pit Stop

• The Pit Stop offers men the opportunity to interact with others through creative activities and social connection.
• MensCraft runs a range of Pit Stop socials and activity groups across Norfolk and Waveney.
• Activity types include yoga, fishing, music appreciation and walking. All weekly Pit Stop events across the region are listed on our website.

Waypoint

• A Great Yarmouth-based programme supporting younger men (18-30 years) offering positive activities, social meetups and one-to-one mentoring via volunteers and associates.
• Waypoint works with these men to overcome challenges, limiting beliefs and promote personal development.

Therapeutic Provision

• A burgeoning offer of therapeutic services including EMDR, Gestalt therapy and person-centred counselling.

We offer an efficient system to make a referral to our services via our website, emailing referrals@menscraft.org.uk or contacting us on 0800 208 8382. Requests for more general information around our services, specialisms or ways to collaborate and get involved should be directed to info@menscraft.org.uk.

Collaborate to Innovate

Last year, we were privileged to welcome Colin Howey to our Collaborate to Innovate Conference at the Enterprise Centre, University of East Anglia, where alongside other colleagues, discussed the keynote address which was delivered by Sir Michael Marmot on tackling health inequalities in both science and community engagement.

Colin also provided further context into how he found the conference by sitting down and discussing with us the importance of breaking out of silos and shifting from crisis to prevention management.