A Men’s Dialogue Circle facilitated by Khulisa Social Solutions has highlighted the complex and interconnected pressures affecting men’s mental health, family relationships, economic stability and ability to rebuild their lives. 

Held on 30 June 2026 as part of a Men’s Mental Health and Physical Wellbeing Awareness Programme, the dialogue brought together current and former Khulisa diversion programme beneficiaries, community members and representatives from social development, justice, court, policing and wellness services.  

Using Khulisa’s SIT Dialogue Circle methodology, men were invited into a safe, structured space to speak openly about the realities they face. The findings revealed six closely connected areas of concern: 

• Mental health challenges and difficulty managing stress;  

• Pressure linked to employment and financial insecurity;  

• Family responsibilities, parenting and maintenance obligations;  

• Community safety and crime;  

• Difficulty navigating social and legal support systems; and  

• The lasting impact of criminal records on employment, personal development and reintegration.  

The significance of the findings lies in how these pressures interact. Financial insecurity can intensify stress; unresolved emotional distress can affect physical health and family relationships; criminal records can block employment opportunities; and uncertainty about legal or support systems can leave men feeling trapped rather than able to move forward. 

“What emerged is that men’s wellbeing cannot be treated as a single mental health issue,” said Lesley Ann van Selm, Founder and Managing Director of Khulisa Social Solutions. “Men are carrying overlapping pressures — economic, emotional, family, legal and social. If we want stronger families and safer communities, we need to create spaces where men can speak openly, access practical support and find real pathways forward.” 

The Dialogue Circle was followed by direct engagement with relevant service providers on mental health, the physical effects of prolonged stress, child maintenance responsibilities, court processes, criminal records, expungement and Presidential Pardon processes. Participants actively sought clarity on issues directly affecting their lives, demonstrating a strong demand for accessible, integrated support.  

A particularly important finding was the impact of criminal records on rehabilitation and reintegration. For men seeking to rebuild their lives, barriers to employment can undermine financial stability, family responsibility and longer-term social reintegration. 

The programme demonstrated the value of combining community voice with immediate access to services. Rather than treating men’s wellbeing in isolation, the initiative connected emotional wellbeing, physical health, parenting, justice, rehabilitation and economic participation. 

Khulisa believes the findings point to a need for sustained action, including regular men’s dialogue spaces, stronger referral pathways, follow-up support on mental health and parenting, and improved access to practical legal and reintegration information.  

The message from the Circle was clear: men need spaces to speak, but they also need systems that respond.