FAQs

The YBMen Project seems multi-faceted. What are the various parts of the project? 


You are correct! We have at least two ways that we interact with Black men who are interested in the YBMen Project. The first way is through our Site Scans, which are large surveys that we send out to Black men across multiple settings to learn about their mental health, manhood, and social support. After we review the results from our Site Scans, we select sites, screen participants for eligibility, and then enroll Black male participants in the program, which involves their placement in the YBMen group or a comparison group. 

 

I am a Black man. How can I participate?


At the start of each calendar year, we partner with campuses and communities to implement a version of the YBMen Project specifically for the Black men there. If you are in close proximity to Southeastern Michigan, we would love to have you join as a member of our team in a volunteer or paid capacity (pay commensurate with experience). If you are not in Michigan, and are still interested in joining us, reach out to us using our “Contact Us” page so that we can discuss the possibilities. 

 

What does it mean to participate in the YBMen Project?


There are at least two ways to participate in the YBMen Project. For example, you can either be an “information gatherer” (i.e., a member of our team), or an “information provider” (i.e., a project participant). For more information about your participation, contact us.

You seem to partner with community leaders and campus staff. What have your past collaborators said about the YBMen Project?


Our community and campus partners are keys to our success! Over the years we have had community partners make comments such as “We’re excited to have your team and to be a part of this great initiative.” Similarly, our campus partners have made comments such as “I am very glad everything went well with YBMen this semester. We certainly look forward to the report or information you will share with us, and about next steps for conducting this again in the future with our students.”

 

I see the YBMen Project uses social media such as Facebook and Instagram, but can other people see the groups?


When you enroll in the YBMen Project, we reserve the right to place you in either the YBMen group (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, etc.) or the comparison group. Regardless of your group assignment, everyone completes an initial interview and survey for the project. If you are placed in the YBMen group, you will join a private social media group where you can see the other members posts, but no one outside the group cannot see the activity. In fact, no one outside the group even sees that you are participating in the group.  

 

What happens to the group after the program is over?


After the YBMen Project has ended, we follow up with participants to see how they’re doing. We conduct a follow-up interview and survey with participants. The responses are compared to the initial responses so we can identify and evaluate any key differences. The YBMen group and any information shared therein will remain private. 

YBMen