Supporting the wellbeing of our male officers, staff and volunteers on International Men’s Day

Today is International Men’s Day and we are proud to support our male colleagues in speaking up about their wellbeing.

International Men’s Day is a global observance that celebrates the positive contributions and achievements of men while addressing important issues affecting men’s health, wellbeing and gender equality.

All Avon and Somerset Police colleagues, no matter their role in the organisation, can be affected by what they see or deal with while on shift. Working in the policing sector can be a demanding job at any level, and it’s understandable that support from the organisation is needed in some cases.

However, as noted in our short video below, male colleagues have often felt they can’t speak up about their mental health or wellbeing due to past expectations of them in the wider policing sector.

Deputy Chief Constable Jon Reilly said: “Policing is a job like no other but with the rewards of being a public servant can come difficult experiences that can take an emotional and psychological toll. This International Men’s Day, we want to recognise how providing the vital service we do can sometimes affect the mental health of our officers, staff and volunteers; and encourage everyone, not just those in policing, to seek help when they need it.

“We encourage our colleagues to speak up about how they’re feeling. We have a variety of support channels and networks within our organisation designed to meet every individual’s needs but above all, one of the most important things is to feel safe to speak to someone about how you’re feeling and to know they’ll be there for you. If you, or someone you know are finding things challenging at the moment, know there are a lot of people out there who can and want to help – please speak to someone.” 

Some of the support organisations there to help:

Andy’s Man Club – a club that provides weekly, free support groups for men aged over 18.

Talk Club – a club that provides online and in person safe spaces for men to meet regularly. These run across the UK.

Samaritans – a charity that provides support to those who need it, including a free 24/7 hotline.