NURTURING CONNECTION: ADDRESSING BARRIERS FACED BY MEN AND BOYS
Aug 15, 2024
Below are reflections and insights from our CEO, Chelsea Bardot Lewis, about the unique struggles faced by men and boys, and how peer support and nurturing connection, vulnerability, and emotional intelligence can improve lives.
I’m a mom of two young boys, one of whom needs (and thankfully receives) a lot of additional support for social emotional learning at school. I’m also the CEO at Working Fields, a purpose-driven staffing agency that connects engaged employers with resilient jobseekers. Over 70% of these jobseekers are men, and many of them face challenges such as justice system involvement, recovery from substance use disorder, or lack of stable housing or transportation. In other words, I’m thinking about barriers to success for men and boys at home and at work.
So, I’ve been following with great interest the emergent data around the unique struggles currently facing men and boys across the country. Earlier this year I had the opportunity to hear Richard V. Reeves present the research from his book “Of Boys and Men” (thank you Tarrant Foundation, J. Warren and Lois McClure Foundation, and The Vermont Community Foundation). Reeves shows that young men are falling behind in educational attainment (fewer college graduates), mental health (higher rates of suicide and overdose), and economic participation (higher unemployment rates). These impacts are compounded by race and income.
I also read Ruth Whippman's new book “Boy Mom”, which comes to a similar conclusion: navigating the complexities of modern masculinity often leaves many men without crucial support systems that lead to academic and professional aspiration and personal growth. Both Reeves and Whippman urge us to discard masculine stereotypes and rethink how we nurture connection and emotional intelligence in boys and men.
And this I’ve come to understand is the magic of Working Fields' innovative peer coaching model. We have an impressive group of male and female coaches, and I am particularly impressed by the vulnerability demonstrated by our male coaches. Many of them lacked male role models in the home and faced their own challenges with substance use disorder and incarceration. However, they have come to realize that success in life comes from building trusting relationships. By fostering safe spaces for reflection and dialogue, Working Fields empowers men to build resilience through connection. Thank you, coaches, for quietly improving lives every day.
I’m a mom of two young boys, one of whom needs (and thankfully receives) a lot of additional support for social emotional learning at school. I’m also the CEO at Working Fields, a purpose-driven staffing agency that connects engaged employers with resilient jobseekers. Over 70% of these jobseekers are men, and many of them face challenges such as justice system involvement, recovery from substance use disorder, or lack of stable housing or transportation. In other words, I’m thinking about barriers to success for men and boys at home and at work.
So, I’ve been following with great interest the emergent data around the unique struggles currently facing men and boys across the country. Earlier this year I had the opportunity to hear Richard V. Reeves present the research from his book “Of Boys and Men” (thank you Tarrant Foundation, J. Warren and Lois McClure Foundation, and The Vermont Community Foundation). Reeves shows that young men are falling behind in educational attainment (fewer college graduates), mental health (higher rates of suicide and overdose), and economic participation (higher unemployment rates). These impacts are compounded by race and income.
I also read Ruth Whippman's new book “Boy Mom”, which comes to a similar conclusion: navigating the complexities of modern masculinity often leaves many men without crucial support systems that lead to academic and professional aspiration and personal growth. Both Reeves and Whippman urge us to discard masculine stereotypes and rethink how we nurture connection and emotional intelligence in boys and men.
And this I’ve come to understand is the magic of Working Fields' innovative peer coaching model. We have an impressive group of male and female coaches, and I am particularly impressed by the vulnerability demonstrated by our male coaches. Many of them lacked male role models in the home and faced their own challenges with substance use disorder and incarceration. However, they have come to realize that success in life comes from building trusting relationships. By fostering safe spaces for reflection and dialogue, Working Fields empowers men to build resilience through connection. Thank you, coaches, for quietly improving lives every day.