Taking the Talktober challenge - IPA backs The Male Hug

THE Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) said it was proud to support The Male Hug, a dedicated men’s mental health organisation founded by IPA member, Tony Rabah.

“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,” IPA chief executive officer Andrew Conway said.

“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.

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

Founder and CEO of the Male Hug, Tony Rabah, said men were 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 there next customer is coming from," Mr Rabah 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,” Mr Rabah said.

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

 

About the Institute of Public Accountants

The IPA, formed in 1923, is one of Australia’s three legally recognised professional accounting bodies.  In late 2014, the IPA acquired the Institute of Financial Accountants in the UK and formed the IPA Group, with more than 38,000 members and students in over 80 countries.  The IPA Group is the largest SME focused accountancy organisation in the world. The IPA is a member of the International Federation of Accountants, the Accounting Professional and Ethical Standards Board and the Confederation of Asian and Pacific Accountants. www.publicaccountants.org.au

About The Male Hug

The Male Hug is an initiative that seeks to raise the awareness of men’s mental health and promote the open dialogue of this often-sensitive issue. Mental health is an issue that is becoming more prevalent but continues to find degrees of negative stigma associated with it, particularly amongst men. The Male Hug seeks to tackle the stigma associated with men’s mental health as it looks to take its place as a support service for men by providing support and encouraging men to talk in a safe and friendly environment that is free of judgement.

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