Great Barrington — When James Tonetti, a junior at Monument Mountain Regional High School, became a restorative prevention fellow with South Berkshire Community Health Coalition, he knew he wanted to create something that would address the growing mental health crisis, specifically young men’s mental health. “It’s on the decline, especially in rural places like Berkshire County,” said Tonetti. “Men especially have been taught to not talk about it.” Contributing factors like the isolation of a rural county and drugs and alcohol are exacerbated by phones, which “really create a divide,” says Tonetti. “It’s really hard not to have addiction to them.” He appreciates that the administration at Monument Mountain has implemented a phone ban during the school day. While most students do not like it or see the benefits, Tonetti thinks “it has kind of forced kids to talk to each other a little more. At least I’ve seen people become a bit closer, especially at lunch.”
Tonetti points out too that “most of the top achievers in school are young women. The majority of people who go to college now are young women. Not that young men have been put down, but there just hasn’t been any conversation about young men’s mental health.” He adds, “I would never, ever wish to be a backpedal on the women’s right movement. We want to bring everyone up.” But he fears that sometimes there are “messages in young men’s heads that they’re bad, or that their gender automatically starts with something they can’t control.”
So, Tonetti is really trying to get the message out about Basecamp, an open meetup geared toward high school men, “a safe place for men to grow as people and realize that they can talk about their feelings.” The group, which will meet the first Monday evening of every month at Railroad Street Youth Project in Great Barrington, will need mentors from the community to come speak. Tonetti hopes young men can learn from people “who battled and overcame [mental health struggles], to show it’s not just going to last forever.”
His efforts are one example of how youth can advocate for the issues that matter most to them. How youth can engage with their communities and civic leaders to make their voices heard was the focus of the October 2 meeting of South Berkshire Community Health Coalition (SBCHC), a program of Railroad Street Youth Project.
State Rep. Leigh Davis (D – 3rd Berkshire District) assured Tonetti that there is work being done around mental health at the state level, including a dedicated committee, but what helps push bills out of committee is advocacy that starts at the local level. One of the bills she has sponsored would create opportunities for peer-to-peer support groups for mental health.
Great Barrington Selectboard member Eric Gabriel said that as a business owner, he sees mental health issues across his team of all ages and has reimbursement programs set up for therapy. “When I was younger, one of my main concerns was drug abuse amongst my friends, and now, honestly, one of my main concerns about not only my staff but my friends and neighbors is mental health and isolation.”
Gabriel is encouraged that youth are joining town conversations; he shared that when he was growing up in Great Barrington, it felt like “the community didn’t want to see the youth around. Skateboarding was illegal, I had skateboards taken away from me. We were just trying to hang out and eat ice cream in town. We would get pushed out of town. And so that stuff really sticks with me now.”
Nia Johnson, the western Massachusetts senior community engagement coordinator for the Office of the Attorney General, introduced herself as a Gen Z-er who learned a lot about empowerment through her experiences mobilizing at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Last year, the office launched a Youth Advisory Council, the first in any attorney general’s office nationwide. “Youth just push people to think outside of the box,” said Johnson. “[When I wonder] how can I think about this in a more equitable and inclusive way, I feel like they always have strategies and ideas for doing that and push the needle even further than the adults might have.”
This year, applications to the council doubled to 200, said Johnson, “so we’ve learned youth want to be involved.” Members of the council have joined the community engagement team in social media trainings for youth and their families, presenting at conferences about the threats social media can pose to youth mental health. Youth council members also advised the grant process, helping to shape the criteria for the office’s grant program that invites organizations to apply for funding for youth summer jobs.
SBCHC Youth Co-Chair Mabel Cooney, who facilitated the meeting, asked the panel several questions on how youth could most impact and engage with the community. “I feel like there’s a lack of knowledge on what is out there and what’s available for youth and the opportunities that we can do and should do,” she explained.
Sarah Tonetti, a newly elected member of the Berkshire Hills Regional School District School Committee, said that more young people need to show up and vote in every election to be prioritized. “We won’t get money out of politics unless you vote. We won’t get affordable housing unless you vote … Stay informed,” she added. “Try not to get all of your news from social media.”
Gabriel added that even those not of voting age can show up at town meetings or other forums. “However you can try to spread your knowledge and wisdom and passion, you should take the opportunity.”
State Rep. Davis also stressed the importance of being open and having “tough conversations” with those who might not understand your point of view. “Try to bridge the divide. Try to work hard to find that commonality, because what we’re going through is not working,” she said, referencing the government shutdown. She pointed to youth’s sense of urgency on the environment and climate change, noting that many youth spoke out and came to town meetings to help Great Barrington pass the single-use plastic bottle ban. Johnson urged, “Continue to share what you’re passionate about, and you’ll start to organize with people who are fighting for the same causes … Then bring in the adults and ask them, ‘Now how do we get this to the State House?’”
“Reach out to your state representatives,” advised Davis, “and say you want to get involved, you want to intern, you have a great idea … I’m always open for internships.” She wrote about 30 bills as a freshman legislator, she said, many of which arose from simple conversations.
Panelists also touched on how to keep track of all the various meetings happening, particularly important dates to be aware of in terms of budgeting. Laura Tonetti reminded people that school committee meetings are open to the public, held every other Thursday in the Stockbridge Town Hall and through Zoom. Budgeting for Great Barrington starts in February, said Gabriel, and some areas that are first to be cut in a tight budget process are things like parks and activities in which youth partake. A calendar on the homepage of the town website lists all meetings, some of which youth might find interest in attending.
On a state level, said Davis, the budget is set around April. “So that’s a really good opportunity, I think, knowing that April is the time that I’m going to be hustling, trying to make as strong an argument as I can for local earmarks.”
