Gen Mo: Introducing the Movember Youth Advisory Council
Movember has long been committed to improving young men’s mental health. But to do this meaningfully, the voice and experience of young men need to be at the centre of what we do, informing how our initiatives are planned, designed, delivered and evaluated.
Three global projects were undertaken to better understand how other organizations have included the voice of young people and people with lived experience, identify if these young people would want to partner with Movember and explore the ways that young people want to be involved in these types of projects.
The findings lead us to the creation of the Movember Youth Advisory Council: a group of young people from across Canada who advise on, discuss and learn together about the priority health issues facing young men across Canada.
Shaping Movember’s impact in young men’s mental health
Movember focuses on mental health through a male lens, with a focus on mental health promotion and prevention. We want to create a world where together, we break the silence and build capacity for young men and their communities to provide support, when needed.
That’s why we created the Youth Advisory Council. They’re not just a consultation group; they’re a co-design partner. For us to be as informed as possible in meeting the needs of the future of men’s health, we engaged the lived experience of today’s youth. We started this group with three primary goals:
- Amplify youth voices.
- Give youth a space to develop skills.
- Deliver insights to improve young men’s mental health.
Movember Program Manager, Ramond Phipps shares: "The Movember Youth Advisory isn't just a focus group; they are the authentic voice of Gen Mo. We have fostered an environment of trust and candor, which allows the lived experiences of Gen Mo to be shared honestly. This critical and invaluable feedback ensures Movember's programs are not only driven by theory and evidence, but genuinely relevant and grounded in the realities young people face today, making our initiatives robust, effective, and built to last for youth generation."
Giving a voice to today’s youth
The pilot successfully recruited a diverse group of advisors representing the national diversity across the Canada, the UK and Australia – young leaders in their own right already – fostering a safe space for sharing grounded insights on both Movember’s global and local initiatives.
The inaugural group, aptly named Gen Mo by this first cohort of youth, was engaged across seven months, connecting in person and online. Together, they further developed their leadership skills, mental health literacy and advocacy skills. They also explored and provided consultation on a range of topics in support of Movember’s impact, covering:
- Mental health resources
- Social media campaigns & content production
- Youth mental health research studies
- Youth engagement events
- Being a man in today’s world
- Mental health literacy programs
- Reaching young men through traditional sports and esports
Gen Mo Youth Advisor, Mohammad Akib Hossain says: "My time with Gen Mo has has given me the space to put my voice forward and share my live experiences to uplift other young people facing similar challenges. I’ve learned to use my voice as a weapon for empowerment, helping others see strength in their own stories."
What comes next?
With this first council wrapping up its work in November, next steps involve a rigorous evaluation of the youth advisory pilots that will determine its appropriateness, effectiveness and efficiency. From there, we’ll begin to put the insights gained to good use, applying strategic recommendations to evolve and scale the youth advisory model from 2026 and beyond.
Watch this space and learn more about our Young Men’s Health Portfolio.