Year 8 Man Cave Program

If child has just completed a transformative workshop with The Man Cave ( Year 8 male students only ) . We hope it was a positive and empowering experience for them. We're here to help you continue supporting them on this journey. 

Previously, we shared several ways to support your child before the program. Now, we want to offer guidance on extending that support after their experience in The Man Cave. We always get asked this, so below are a few suggestions. 

After the workshop, you could… 

• Create Space for Conversation - within a week of the workshop, set aside some time to sit down and talk about their experience. Approach the conversation with curiosity but without pushing too hard. Let him share at his own pace, and respect his need for privacy if he isn't ready to open up immediately. Understand that his relationships with peers may be evolving, and don't take it personally if he seems less inclined to share with you.
• Shout Out a Unique Gift or Talent - consider honouring your child by acknowledging a unique gift or talent, rather than an achievement. At the end of each workshop, the boys participate in an 'honouring/shout out' session where they recognise each other's positive traits and actions. You can prepare a similar honouring for your son. 

E.g. "I want to honour you for always saying hi to me at the start of the day. The impact it’s had on me is that it makes me feel seen and loved by you, which makes me feel important to you." 

All of this might initially feel odd, and your child might be taken aback, but recognising our young people for their character rather than their achievements helps them feel seen and heard. This is crucial for opening conversations and strengthening connections.

• Help Them Connect with Us - If your child wants to stay connected with The Man Cave, there are several ways to do so. We offer work experience opportunities at our organisation, and we're also active on Twitch a few nights a week, where they can engage live with our facilitators. Additionally, our Instagram regularly features tips and tricks to help continue the learnings from the workshop. We encourage the boys to reach out to us if they want to engage further.

For more information about what was explored in the workshop - click here. 

Finally, if you're keen to reach out to us, we always welcome it. 

These are the days, 

The Man Cave team🤘