Real Barbers, Real Talk In 2020, The Barbiere Company supported Movember by launching Real Barbers, Real Talk – a campaign dedicated to tackling mental health issues in the barbershop. It came at a time with lots of uncertainty amid the pandemic. Despite this, 157 barbers took action to learn practical conversation skills from the crew at Movember during the Real Barbers, Real Talk training webinar. The barbering community also banded together, raising an impressive $22,312 AUD and walking 895 km over the course of the Movember campaign - all whilst the world was faced with lock downs, isolation, and a new way of living. Since then, we have had moments with lifted restrictions, however halfway through 2021 we are still grappling with lockdowns and outbreaks across Australia. There is no doubt the constant unpredictability can be detrimental to mental health and connection with mates. Last year we shared Movember’s research revealing that one in five men (22%) believed their mental health had worsened since the outbreak of COVID-19 and almost a third (29%) admitted they felt lonely more often. Similar statistics have been shared this year with Lifeline recording its busiest day ever with 3,345 calls received on August 3rd – likely linked to Australia’s lockdowns. Movember research also showed that one in five Australians (22%) have not arranged to catch up with a close mate in six months or more, potentially putting them at risk of social isolation, loneliness, and even mental health issues. This means that some clients are seeing their barber more than their close friends - making cutting through the small talk more important than ever. We know that that the barbershop is a safe space for many men and that barbers can play a crucial role in men’s mental health. For this reason, The Barbiere Company are committed to supporting barbers initiate meaningful conversations and the Movember movement. It can take one conversation to positively change a life.
54 Barber Shop Year 10 Issue 3
