In the wake of Theroux’s ‘Manosphere’ documentary and the hit Netflix show ‘Adolescence’, the themes of toxic masculinity and misogyny have been in the forefront of social and political debate.
In what may seem a daunting and isolating experience for many, NEYDL provides a space for young men in caring roles to feel comfortable discussing topics which might otherwise feel quite lonely to navigate.
...NEYDL provides opportunities for young men to develop a versatile skill set and grow their confidence.
NEYDL are the only charity of its kind in the North East of England, and work to provide a variety of services focused around supporting young dads in their family lives. As well as peer led support, NEYDL provides opportunities for young men to develop a versatile skill set and grow their confidence.
In an interview with The Courier, Dr Michael Richardson, a long term volunteer at NEYDL and a Senior Lecturer in Human Geography at Newcastle University, said he was particularly drawn to the charity's work due to "their focus on countering narratives of young dads as unreachable and un-teachable”.
After undertaking various roles throughout the charity, Dr Richardson now focuses on leading activities from a social and environmental justice perspective. One of the unlikely ways in which he is doing this is through NEYDL's very own beekeeping programme.
Dr Richardson highlighted how in an ever more individualistic society, beekeeping possesses a transformative quality: “It takes you away from your own world and gives you something other than yourself to take care of”.
... Ecological care allows young men to: “better take care of themselves, their families and the places in which they live”.
Ecological care fosters a range of skills which are directly transferrable into both parenthood and employment, including attentiveness, social cohesion and patience. Dr Richardson further explained how ecological care allows young men to: “better take care of themselves, their families and the places in which they live”.
Since starting their beekeeping programme NEYDL have helped transform the lives of various young men. Beekeeping has helped some tackle mental health issues with others even entering employment in the field.
To find out more about NEYDL and Dr Richardson’s incredible work visit neydl.uk or, if you’re a young dad looking for support check out the services offered through their online platform DigiDAD.