IPA backs Talktober challenge

“We congratulate Tony Rabah and The Male Hug team for such an important initiative in getting men to talk about issues that may be impacting their mental health and wellbeing,” said IPA chief executive Andrew Conway.

Mr Conway announced he has joined The Male Hug as an ambassador. 

“I am also pleased to be an ambassador for The Male Hug organisation and its new initiative, Talktober, where I and others taking up the Talktober challenge are committed to call at least one male each day for the month of October,” said Mr Conway.

“The timing is also perfect as it coincides with World Mental Health month.”

Mr Rabah said that men are vulnerable to mental illness because of the inherent belief and conditioning that they just have to ‘suck it up’ and get on with it.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating and so many men are doing it tough; many have lost their jobs, closed their doors or are just struggling through on a day-to-day basis, unsure of where their next customer is coming from,” he said.

“The Male Hug is encouraging men from all fields to not hold feeling or emotions back and to talk to someone. We would rather a person join our Let’s Chat Buddy Program, than to suffer in silence feeling alone and desperate.”

For more information about The Male Hug and the Talktober challenge, go to www.themalehug.com.au or www.themalehug.com.au/talktober.