At first glance, this may seem an unusual partnership.
Youth Talk, a charity providing free and confidential counselling to young people aged 13 to 25, and STANTA, an enterprise agency offering free support for people either setting up a business or at the early stages of running a business, have come together for a joint awareness campaign.
Jim Lewis, Head of Fundraising and Partnerships at Youth Talk, and Steve Bedford, Executive Director at STANTA, were discussing their shared experiences over coffee when the subject of men's mental health cropped up.
Both believe there is a need for greater awareness and understanding of what they describe as a largely "quiet crisis" affecting men and boys' mental health. Both have personal experience of close contacts going through extremely challenging mental health conditions and sadly, of the loss of life that this can bring.
Jim is at the forefront of Youth Talk's work supporting young people with their mental health and emotional wellbeing.
“The demand for our support is at times overwhelming, however, we have noticed that there has been something of a problem reaching young men in particular. We are increasing our engagement with young men and boys, but we know that there are many people in the community who find it hard to come forward.”
Steve became increasingly concerned after discovering some of the shocking statistics surrounding mental health.
“I first saw some statistics leading up to International Men’s Day a few years ago. In particular, the suicide rate amongst men shocked me. The Samaritans data from 2025 suggests that males are three times more likely to commit suicide than females, with the highest rate being amongst the 50-54 age group. It made me realise that this was an age group I would regularly meet at business or social events and I wondered how many would try and shrug off mental health challenges and how many would reach out?”
While both Jim and Steve recognised the complexities of gender-focused campaigns, they agreed there is a clear issue that deserves attention and open discussion.
The campaign aims to raise awareness and encourage more people to seek support from organisations that can help. Jim concluded by saying:
"My hope is that, by working together, we can help more boys and men who are struggling to feel less alone and take that first step towards support. I also hope we can encourage friends and family to notice when someone doesn’t seem themselves, ask how they’re really doing and make time to listen. Sometimes, that conversation can make all the difference".
Steve echoed this:
“I think there is something of a societal issue with the concept of being a ‘man.’ What we are talking about are our sons, brothers, uncles, dads, nephews, grandads and grandsons; people we love and all of whom can find themselves in need of some help.”
Key stats about men and boys’ mental health
- 3 in 4 people who die by suicide in the UK are male (Samaritans, 2024)
- Men aged 50-54 are the most likely to die by suicide (Samaritans, 2024)
- Only 32.6% of NHS mental health support referrals were made up of men in 2023/24 (NHS Talking Therapies)
- Similarly, only 35% of referrals to Youth Talk's counselling service come from young men and boys, although this has increased from 26% in recent years (Youth Talk, 2026)
How can you help?
Spread the word and help raise awareness of this often overlooked issue. Look out for our campaign content on social media and share it with your friends, family and networks.
Support and resources for men and boys’ mental health
If you know someone who may be struggling, encourage them to explore the support organisations and resources available. Youth Talk and STANTA have compiled a list of resources for this International Men’s Day, which includes emergency helplines, counselling services, social and talking groups available locally, as well as trusted reading resources.
