About the Cultural X Change Project

Project Background

The Mensline Australia Cultural X Change Project is a new initiative that is developing innovative models for delivering services to Indigenous men, men from Vietnamese and Arabic speaking communities and young men aged 18-25 years. These models will build the capacity of Mensline Australia, Family Relationship Services Program (FRSP) funded organisations and other services to meet the needs of these men.

Mensline Australia's primary target groups are:

  • Men facing separation and men experiencing difficulties managing their relationships with ex-partners and children;
  • Men seeking assistance with their partner relationships, but not facing or dealing with separation;
  • Men experiencing difficulties in parenting children or step children; and
  • Women and other family members concerned about a male relative or friend

The majority of current users of the Mensline Australia services are Anglo-Celtic men, aged between 30 and 50 years. We have recognised a need to make the service more responsive to the needs of Indigenous, CALD and younger men. In light of this the aims of the Project are to:

  • Increase Indigenous, Vietnamese, Arabic speaking and young men's knowledge of and access to Mensline Australia and FRSP services.
  • Build Mensline Australia and sector capacity to engage and work with specific cultural groups in the community.
  • Build the skills base in the family relationships sector and in the selected participant's communities.
  • Evaluate specific service strategies undertaken during the project and disseminate learnings across the FRSP sector.

Activities

The aims will be achieved through the following activities:

  • Working with selected FRSP early intervention services to engage communities and gain an understanding of client needs.
  • Employing and training community liaison workers (CLWs) from each community to help build the relationship between Mensline Australia, the local FRSP service provider and men from the target community. The CLWs will receive training as men's counsellors/educators to the Certificate IV or Diploma level.
  • Developing innovative models to deliver tele-counselling services to Indigenous, CALD and young men that will be made available free of charge to the wider community through the Mensline Australia website and the Australian Family Relationships Clearinghouse.
  • Developing an accredited Internship Program in Men's Counselling. The structure and format of the program will be made available free of charge to the wider community through the Mensline Australia website and Australian Family Relationships Clearinghouse.
  • Redeveloping the Mensline Australia website to be more inclusive of men from the target groups. Input from the target communities into this development will be sought.
  • Evaluating the project and reporting to FaCSIA.

Partner Agencies

Anglicare Resolve Darwin - www.anglicare-nt.org.au

Centacare Brisbane - www.centacarebrisbane.net.au

Uniting Care Burnside Sydney - www.burnside.org.au

Centacare Burnie Nthn Tasmania - http://www.hobart.catholic.org.au/centacare.html