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Richard Shanahan's role in Menslink's development
'Anti-social behaviour can be discouraged through early intervention,' he argues. 'By getting these boys to create school gardens, repair bicycles for the community and undertake a range of other activities, the program encourages positive social behaviour. It enables the boys to engage, and to contribute and participate in their school and community.' Originally trained in social work, Richard is a registered nurse and counsellor with a diploma of applied science in nursing. He is also qualified as a link-up men's facilitator and a small groups facilitator. Richard has qualifications in narrative counselling and solution orientated counselling from the Dulwich Centre in South Australia, and holds a community counselling diploma from the University of Canberra. He began as a youth worker with organisations such as the Young Women's Christian Association, and in areas such as youth detention and adolescent counselling, but Richard was concerned by the lack of skilled help for young men. He realised that young men need trained workers capable of helping them to build resilience, recognise their own potential and to control and understand their potential for violence. In the early 1990s, Richard began working with the Young Men's Support Network and Men mentoring Men programs in Canberra. Both are now well established as award-winning violence prevention programs and each program has been developed to reflect contemporary insights into young men's issues and needs. Richard strongly advocates developing alternative pathways for young men to become valued and feel important to their community. In Australia, academia and sport are the two main pathways to recognition and growth. 'This leaves a huge gap for those whose potential lies in other pursuits,' he says. Richard argues that this gap can be closed through individual and group mentoring, project focused mentoring, acknowledging young men, developing alternative ways for young men to express themselves, life coaching (as opposed to counselling), providing recognition and rewarding good work. The Menslink co-founder has been vocal on social issues. Regarding men's health, Richard believes that if communities want to tackle the burden of male health, they need to understand why men take more risks than women, why they are more reluctant to see their doctor, and to what extent such behaviours are bound up with core ideas of masculinity. Men tend to be poor users of health services like dentistry, counselling and healthcare services, they leave symptoms longer than necessary, and are reluctant to ask for, or accept, help. Richard has strived to focus Menslink resources on these sorts of issues. Menslink's methods, he says, apply not only to young men, but also to older men who are struggling with notions of masculinity and the personal changes they are required to make in the modern world. 'However, more research is needed to determine how society can offer tools for men to cope with these concepts,' he says. Richard is particularly concerned about education for boys. The ACT's 2002 Martin Report shows that a significant minority of boys are not doing well across many subjects in the education system. He has advocated changes to the current education system to address this under-achievement. In evidence to the ACT legislative assembly standing committee on education, and in the media, Richard has advocated: - Greater understanding of how boys learn and their special development requirements; - The need to build better relationships between students and teachers; - Greater attention to mentoring; - Enhanced purpose and meaning in the school curriculum; - Variety in teaching methods, learning styles and assessment; - Better understanding of gender and boys' special requirements. see also: Violence prevention amongst young men: A community and resilience based approach, report by Richard Shanahan, Churchill Fellow - PDF file 100K Standing Committee on Education, Training and Young People - transcript of evidence from the Legislative Assembly of the Australian Capital Territory, February 2006 - PDF file 370K |
