Summary:
This webinar will share the research findings from the Men Minds project, outlining how the research was coproduced with a forum of young men aged 16-24, and highlighting how mental health interfaces with young men’s contact with the justice system.
Bio:
Dr Nina Vaswani is the Research Lead at CYCJ. Nina’s key research interests are the experience and impact of loss, bereavement and trauma in young people and how these experiences interface and shape contact with the justice system. Of particular interest is the overrepresentation of young men in justice-settings, and how their exposure to loss, bereavement and trauma might shape their developing masculinities, identities, behaviours and outcomes. She is also interested in institutional and organisational responses to trauma, and the realities of trauma-informed approaches in practice. Nina was also the lead on the UKRI-funded project ‘Men Minds’. This 2.5-year project was a collaboration with young men and colleagues at the Universities of Strathclyde, Monash University and the Mental Health Foundation. Men Minds aimed to better understand marginalised young men’s mental health and to improve policy, practice and research for young men.
Download the presentation slides here: Men Minds – MH and Justice Webinar
Resources referenced in the webinar:
Men Minds Comic – www.menminds.org/comic
Men Minds aims to remove barriers to mental health research engagement for young men who are migrants, LGBTQ+ or in conflict with the law.
Relevant Youth Justice Practice Guidance chapters:
PG chapter 8 – https://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Section-8-Mental-Health-and-Neurodiversity.pdf
PG chapter 5 – https://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Section-5-Trauma-and-Adversity.pdf
Info sheet:
The interaction between young masculinities, trauma and prison – https://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Info-Sheet-98-July-2021.pdf
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Future webinars – https://www.tickettailor.com/events/childrensandyoungpeoplescentreforjustice