FUNDRAISING
Get Your Team Talking About Men’s Health
A question over lunch, a story at your shave-down, that's often all it takes to get started.
Movember gives us a pretty good excuse to talk about things we don’t always talk about.
You don’t need to lead a workshop, have all the answers, or suddenly become the health expert on your team. As a Captain, sometimes the most useful thing you can do is simply create an opening.
A question over lunch. A story at your shave-down. A quick check-in during a team walk.
That’s often where the good stuff starts.
1. Start with why you’re here
If you want your team to open up, it helps to go first.
Share why you decided to get involved in Movember. It doesn’t need to be a big speech or deeply personal story.
Maybe men’s health has affected someone you care about. Maybe you’ve learned to take your own health more seriously. Or maybe you just think guys could be better at talking about this stuff.
Giving people a little bit of your own “why” makes it easier for others to share theirs.
2. Use moments you already have
You don’t need to schedule a formal “men’s health conversation.”
In fact, it will probably feel more natural if you don’t.
Use the moments your team is already sharing:
- A shave-down
- Team lunch
- Toolbox talk
- Morning meeting
- Group walk or Move challenge
- Team event
- Friday drinks
- Your Slack, Teams or WhatsApp chat
Ten good minutes during something you’re already doing can go a long way.
3. Ask something people can actually answer
“How’s everyone’s mental health?” probably isn’t the easiest way to get a conversation going.
Try giving people somewhere more natural to start.
You could ask:
- Why did you decide to do Movember this year?
- What’s one thing you’ve got better at doing for your health as you’ve grown older?
- What’s something you wish men talked about more?
- Who’s someone you can actually call when things aren’t going well?
- What’s one health habit you know you should probably be better at?
- Has men’s health ever affected someone in your life?
You can keep it light. You can laugh. You can let the conversation wander.
It doesn’t need to become serious to be worthwhile.
4. Keep it relaxed
Movember has always found ways to bring some fun into serious issues.
The same can be true of your team.
You might ask a health question during your team lunch, add a “Movember question of the week” to the group chat, or have everyone share one thing they’re doing for their health alongside their latest moustache update.
The goal isn’t to force vulnerability.
It’s to make talking about men’s health feel a little more normal.
5. Open the door. Don’t drag anyone through it.
Not everyone will want to share — and that’s completely fine.
Don’t put people on the spot or push someone to talk about something personal. Create the opportunity, share something yourself, and let people decide how much they want to contribute.
Sometimes a conversation stays light.
Sometimes somebody shares something that genuinely matters.
Both can be valuable.
6. Listen more than you talk
If someone does open up, you don’t need to solve their problem.
Listen. Be curious. Give them space. And if they want more support, help point them toward it.
Movember Conversations has practical tools to help people navigate conversations about mental health, including how to ask, listen, encourage action and check in.
You can also find dedicated Movember information and resources covering:
7. Keep the conversation going
The best outcome isn’t one perfect conversation in Movember.
It’s helping create a team where talking about health becomes a little easier next time.
So use Movember as the excuse.
Ask the question. Share your story. Give people an opening.
You might be surprised where the conversation goes.
