Staff to grow mo’s for a good cause

Charles Darwin University (CDU) staff are getting behind a good cause this month and raising money for Movember, a charity focused on shining a light on men’s health.

Several staff members, including CDU Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation Professor Steve Rogers and Diversity and Inclusion Consultant Daniel O’Neill are growing moustaches to raise funds for the important cause.   

CDU hair and beauty students helped de-fuzz the members of CDU’s Mo Bros team on October 31, with the team now spending the month of November growing back their ‘Mo’s’ before taking part in a ‘Mo walk’ on November 28 to see who will be crowned CDU’s best ‘mo’.

The event comes as CDU has established Men@CDU, a group that aims to help promote a healthier and more supportive environment for all men, to benefit everyone.

Mr O’Neill, who played a key role in setting up Men@CDU, said it is important for the University to create safe spaces.

“These communities are so important when it comes to providing support for those who need it, providing a safe space to discuss a range of topics that have traditionally been challenging for many men to speak about, including physical and mental health,” Mr O’Neill said.

“Communities like Men@CDU help to create a feeling of belonging in the workplace for all staff. All of us want the freedom to be authentically themselves in the workplace.

 “We believe Men@CDU can help support healthy men, and in turn, help support healthy communities."

Professor Rogers is the executive sponsor of Men@CDU and said the group aims to raise awareness and knowledge of men’s health challenges.

“This initiative will help to provide a platform where men can share their experiences, seek support and access resources to improve their overall health and well-being,” Professor Rogers said.

“Supporting or joining Men@CDU means you will be actively engaged in addressing the health disparities and mental health challenges faced by men in our society and will help improve our communities.”

Men@CDU steering committee member and Senior Lecturer in psychology Dr Kim Caudwell said men often acknowledge the importance of their health but experience barriers to seeking support.

“Men are more likely to engage in riskier health behaviours like tobacco and alcohol use and are overrepresented in mental health issues such as suicide,” Dr Caudwell said.

“Men often seek out health information but barriers such as fear, embarrassment and unhelpful beliefs about masculinity and stoicism affect their ability to action seeking support.

 “That is why a platform such as Men@CDU is so important as it provides a safe space for men to get together and help each other."

CDU also has an initiative called Women@CDU which is designed to support women who work at CDU to thrive and succeed.

Their aim is to address the challenges that women face in the workplace including health and wellbeing, developing their careers and carer responsibilities through advocacy, awareness, visibility and raising awareness of CDU as a safe and inclusive employer of women.

Women@CDU recently raised over $500 for vital ovarian cancer research through the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF) through their Frocktober high tea event.

So far staff have managed to raise over $1,895 for the Movember cause. If you would like to donate or participate, go to the CDU’s Mo Bros page.  

To join Men@CDU contact Diversity and Inclusion Consultant Daniel O’Neill on daniel.oneill@cdu.edu.au