Developing a Vietnamese Men's Behaviour Change Program

Conclusion and recommendationsThe Vietnamese Men’s and Family Violence Group is no longer a pilot project.Three successful groups have run, there is a solid reference group supporting this programand the No To Violence standards will be met once the training of the facilitators is completeand ongoing funding is secured. Referrals for this program continue once each group iscompleted and during the group.The need for a Vietnamese speaking culturally-appropriate Men’s Behaviour Change grouphas been strongly advocated by the partners of the men at each phase of the project.Simply, the men would not have agreed to attend a Men’s Behaviour Change program thatwas English speaking, according to the women.It is important that government bodies funding family violence work recognise that specificlanguage speaking groups are required for CALD men to enable them to embracebehavioural changes and move towards non-violent behaviour.This project has made a start with one specific cultural group of men in Melbourne’sNorthwest. There has been encouragement from referral sources to develop groups forIndian, Arabic speaking, and African men.The project has shown that the development of a specific CALD group is indeed possible.The requirements are:• committed partnerships between organisations• time to develop the group, the facilitators’ experience and the reference group’sknowledge• the community’s readiness for such a program• ongoing funding.Future evaluation, particularly in relation to the men’s responses about the reduction in theprevalence of violence within their families, may be better informed by a narrative approachwith the men and women rather then the use of written surveys.Research into the area needs to be longitudinal with longer term followup of the men andwomen.Although the men’s programs in Melbourne’s Northwest region at times have utilisedinterpreters in the groups, it is difficult for one or two men requiring this, to maintain theirinvolvement. The usual shame of attending such a group is amplified by the man’s lack ofEnglish ability.We have found that Vietnamese men will attend a group that addresses their violencewithin their intimate relationships, and their partners are supportive of them doing this.The Vietnamese men in this group would also like to continue the work on their behaviourchange.15