Mensline Australia is aware that family and relationship problems can affect all Australian men across all cultures. As part of our commitment to responding appropriately to a broad range of cultural groups, including the Arabic community, we have developed a number of initiatives to improve our service delivery.

Between March 2007 and April 2008 through the implementation of the Cultural X Change Project we will be engaging with the Arabic community and relevant service providers from targeted locations around Australia with the aim of listening to the needs of the men in these communities as well as promoting the Mensline Australia service. The outcome of this process of engagement will be an increased level of community awareness of Mensline Australia, as well as an increased understanding among Mensline counsellors of the issues that impact upon Arabic men and their families.

Targeted activities that will support the development of the program include:

• Listening circles that provide an opportunity for Arabic men to identify and express their family and relationship needs and issues
• The delivery of training to the counselling staff at Mensline Australia on engaging cross culturally
• The development of culturally specific tip sheets
• The development of this website, dedicated to Arabic men and their families
• The production of digital stories that illustrate, through the use of multimedia, significant family and relationship stories from Arabic men
• A moderated online forum that provides opportunities for Arabic men to engage and discuss family and relationship issues specific to them, with the support of our Arabic Community Liaison Worker.

For more information on any aspect of this program please contact either:

Milad Bardan — Arabic Community Liaison Worker: 03 8398 8400

Jeremy Hearne — Project Coordinator: 03 8371 2813