Watch the interview here: https://vimeo.com/1086579842?share=copy 

Tom Watts and Oscar Brown are dedicated to helping men speak honestly about their situation as Men's Mental Health Conveners at King's. 

When asked for tips on maintaining a good mental state, Tom says it helps to “always try and stay busy, get around your mates and play sport”. He explains, despite how much King's has to offer, avoiding stress by not pushing “away uni too much”.

Tom participated in mental health classes in school and “felt like a lot of boys spoke out with that”. He saw a vast difference when arriving at King's as he found “not many people spoke out”, inspiring him to help with Men's Mental Health Week. 

Oscar lost “a few family friends and mates to similar experiences”, inspiring his need to “shine a light on it”, bringing him to convene the week. 

Oscar thinks the biggest issue regarding mental health is the stigma. He explains the toll on the mind accompanying “constantly being told from a very young age to grow up and just grow a pair”, identifying how this stops men from seeking help because they are “scared what other people are going to think of them”.

Men's Mental Health Week included many community-fostering activities, such as a snacks-by-the-pool day, a Mount Cootha hike which Tom explains was “tough but good fun” and pint glass decorating where the boys “painted whatever they wanted”. 

Oscar and Tom claim a highlight of their time at King's is the sports culture, with everyone getting involved and being surrounded by their friends. This inspired their most successful and favourite activity of the week: a mini world cup on the quad, which saw fourteen teams compete. 

Oscar says this helped the “boys get more inclusive” and foster a good atmosphere, meaning they were successful in their goal of getting everyone involved after being locked in their rooms studying. 

When asked about the future of Men's Mental Health Week, Oscar expressed a desire for it to be “not only a tradition, but a reminder that mental health at King's really matters” and to “encourage honest conversations and deep listening”. 

After a successful week, they tell “every bloke” out there to remember “it's not weird to speak”.

If you aren't able to access a health service or find talking to someone face-to-face difficult, these telephone or online mental health resources can often be effective:

• Lifeline for anyone having a personal crisis — call 13 11 14 or chat online

• MensLine Australia is an online counselling and forum for men — call 1300 78 99 78.

• Beyond Blue has health resources specifically designed for men of any age — call 1300 22 4636.

• Brother to Brother is a crisis line for Aboriginal men — call 1800 435 799