YOUNG men from Parade Gardens and Rose Gardens gathered recently for a transformative male empowerment session, aimed at challenging harmful stereotypes and promoting healthier expressions of manhood.

The session was organised by the Council of Voluntary Social Services (CVSS) in collaboration with Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light, the Jamaica National Commission for UNESCO, YARD Empire, the Jamaica Defence Force, the Social Development Commission, Junior Chamber International Jamaica, and the Jamaica Constabulary Force.

The initiative was delivered at the East Queen Baptist Church in downtown Kingston, and was facilitated by Nashan Miller, head of the Male Empowerment Unit at the Bureau of Gender Affairs, who encouraged participants to rethink long-held ideas about masculinity and mental health.

“We never talk about healthy masculinity,” Miller said. “It’s not just a fancy term. It’s about understanding what is healthy and what is toxic in the way we live as men.”

Using relatable examples from sports and community life, he highlighted how cultural expectations often pressure men to suppress emotions, avoid seeking help, and project constant toughness.

“Man doesn’t cry. Man doesn’t show emotion. Just tough it out; that’s what we hear,” he said. “But when you keep it in, it can be detrimental.”

Miller shared sobering data to underscore the urgency of addressing male well-being, noting that the overwhelming majority of suicide and murder victims in Jamaica are men. He also pointed to the stigma attached to men expressing vulnerability.

“Lack of help-seeking is one of the first characteristics of toxic masculinity,” he said. “You are not less of a man because you ask for help.”

Drawing on personal experiences, he spoke about the discrimination and stereotyping young men from inner-city communities often face.

“Just by being a male coming from certain communities, automatically you are a suspect,” Miller said. “Nobody stops to think that these youths are also hurting.”

The session formed part of CVSS’s broader community intervention efforts, which also integrate sports as a positive outlet for youth engagement. The session was delivered under the Rise & Thrive Programme, a project funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and implemented by the CVSS.

Nancy Pinchas, executive director of CVSS, said the initiative is part of a wider focus on strengthening community based organisations in four targeted communities, with support from the British government.

“We’re grateful for the British government, who decided that communities like Parade Gardens and Rose Gardens would be places where we focus on the youth and on community-based organisations,” she said.

The session was a precursor to Peace Cup football competition which was held on February 18 at the Breezy Castle Sports Complex.

Pinchas described sports as a powerful unifier and a constructive outlet for energy and aggression.

“I’m a great believer in sports as a community builder and for individual growth,” she said.

She added that the empowerment sessions and sporting initiatives demonstrate the potential for sustained partnerships and sponsorship to strengthen community impact.

For 18-year-old Devante Graham of Rose Gardens, the session delivered meaningful takeaways.

“It was excellent actually,” Graham said. “You can get some valuable life lessons; it was neat to hear and taught lessons about life. It was encouraging words.”

By the end of the session, participants were encouraged to see themselves not as statistics, but as young men with potential, whether as entrepreneurs, professionals, athletes or community leaders.

As Miller reminded them, “It’s about fulfilling your potential, not just as a footballer, but as somebody who is here to become the best version of himself.”

Member of Parliament for Kingston Central Donovan Williams commended the CVSS for initiating the session and encouraged the young men to walk the straight and narrow path.

“If you have ambition, hold up your head and stay out of trouble, you can make it,” he said, noting that he himself is a product of the inner city, where he grew up in Cockburn Pen and Olympic Gardens. “Just keep your head and stay focused.”