Newsom launches California Men’s Service Challenge
Governor Gavin Newsom launches California Men’s Service Challenge to recruit 10,000 young men as mentors in an effort to tackle male mental health crisis.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Almost a week after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Governor Gavin Newsom announced a new California Men’s Service Challenge to address the growing crisis of male mental health and help young men feel more connected.
“We have an epidemic of loneliness,” said Newsom at a press conference announcing the initiative. “And so much of that is manifesting and metastasizing online in very profound and consequential ways.”
Speaking at Florin High School, Newsom introduced the California Men’s Service Challenge, which aims to recruit 10,000 men to serve as mentors and coaches in their communities. The program will be run through the Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement (Go-Serve) in partnership with community-based mentorship organizations across the state.
“Young men across California are struggling with disconnection, loneliness and a lack of direction. Through service, we can give them a sense of purpose and the opportunity to build careers while making a difference in their communities,” said GO-Serve Director Josh Fryday in a statement.
Newsom said he was motivated to emphasize the mental health of men and boys after seeing a nationwide poll last year that found 69% of young men and boys felt society did not care if they were OK. The challenge builds on an executive order he signed earlier this year and advances his broader strategy to ensure young men and boys don’t feel overlooked.
Young men are approximately four times more likely to commit suicide compared to young women, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Officials said the effort will bolster California’s Service Corps to help young men get mentor support and become more connected to their communities. Newsom said it’s also a way to help address the issue of people feeling more divided.
“Volunteerism and mentorship are about finding things we have in common,” Newsom said.
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