This gives information about some existing men's groups and how to set one up in your area.
Men's Groups:
- work in small groups that share reflection on personal experience (with exercises and activities),
- allow the intimacy and security for participants to question and let go of defended postures and explore firstly their own lives (work, relationships, family and personal)and then wider themes (masculinity, gender, administration, political actions, ...).
- require men to 'be present' with each other, to see and to feel the other... and to negotiate from respect, empathy and responsibility, letting go of defending ideologies, so to learn and grow together.
So what is a men's group? Being aware that there are men's groups that work in many different ways (the football supporters, the politburo, ..); what is an 'acceptable' level of experience in personal exploration?
'Non-presence', physical and emotional absence is a defining quality of what has been called the 'hegemonic masculinity'. This can mean hiding behind righteous, academic and politically correct actions and beliefs – any excuse not to be present in the apparently 'chaotic' world of 'you and me', facing each other with our feelings and emotions. Men often define 'the emotional is a woman's world, a waste of time, and of less value than the academic or socio-political'.
We believe that active participation in small reflective groups is key element, to develop new paradigm masculinities.
Barcelona, Spain
Programme of work with men and women developed by Homesenbusca & El Arte de Ser Persona:
Mens training days - exploring masculinities together - towards joining new men's groups:
17 June, and new programme from September
Four main groups in Barcelona:
- Sopa de Hombres meets on Mondays and is closed for the time being.
- Wednesday evening men's group has places available.
- Two Friday groups have some places
Contact norman_d @ elartede.com for information on these activities and help to set up new groups.
RHB (Men's Network in Belgium) presentation
Réseau Hommes Belgique (RHB) (www.rhb.be) - Men Network Belgium - is a Belgian NGO (non-governmental organisation) which currently animates a network of more than 40 groups of men. Inspired and originally created by the psychoanalyst Guy Corneau in the late eighties in Quebec (Canada), such a network of men groups was setup in Belgium in 1995.
This network is clearly dedicated to "men in research" looking after a better way of living by sharing and discovering with other men the expression of their in depth interiority. RHB actually consists of self-managed groups of men inside of which they can express and share, during a medium or long term period, all aspects of their lives in a respectful, confidential and open-minded space. In such an environment, the men experience new ways of relationships with peers and new regards on “what can be a man”.
By this way they better discover themselves and the other men and get the opportunity to live in an improved harmony with their partner, family, friends and the society in general. Thanks to this deep and authentic "discovery" experience, the RHB's groups are ideal to participate into the EU-Men Association. RHB has a large experience of men's groups set up, management and facilitation.