Improving the mental health and well-being of excluded young men

Clare Holt

Sally Zlotowitz

Olive Moloney

Mark Chentite

pp. 369-396

in: Roger Kingerlee, Martin Seager, Luke Sullivan (eds), The Palgrave handbook of male psychology and mental health, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2019

Abstract

This chapter explores an understanding of excluded young men's mental health and well-being from an ecological systems perspective. Rooted in their experiences of working with such young men, and the lived experiences of the issues as outlined, the authors seek to analyse issues at different levels; the individual, community and societal. Some solutions are critiqued, others offered as potential ways in which to facilitate support and change. Foremost is an acknowledgement of the political act of privileging the voices and actions of the excluded young men themselves, and engaging with powerful structures and discourses with awareness of professional privilege.