Men show their mettle

By Rebecca Fraser
CASEY’s men have been invited to take part in some Heavy Metal.
But this is no rock band. Instead, it is a new 12week program designed for men wanting to change their behaviour and address their violent ways.
Greater Dandenong resident David Nugent, 43, started Heavy Metal (Men’s Education Towards Anger and Life) earlier this year and plans to run a group at the Outlook Community Centre in Pakenham from October.
Mr Nugent said he understood first hand the importance of seeking help and readily admitted that if he had not changed his behaviour 10 years ago he would have lost his partner and family.
Mr Nugent has now been involved in men’s programs for 10 years, both receiving support and counselling and giving it.
He said the group came about after he was contacted by Outlook Community Centre manager Dianne Wilson.
Ms Wilson said she hoped the group would help save relationships and stop family violence.
“Families are buying homes with huge mortgages and are having young families or losing jobs and there are real pressures,” she said.
“This group will help men understand themselves better and open the doors for them and their families to get some help.
“But this program is not just for people in Pakenham or Cardinia and people from all suburbs are welcome.”
The program is designed to help men identify, understand and take responsibility for their behaviour, attitudes and emotional reactions and provide support and strategies to help them through their crisis of change from abusive behaviour to nonabusive behaviour.
Mr Nugent has completed a graduate certificate in Social Science for Male Family Violence as a group facilitator and telephone counsellor at Swinburne University and is currently completing a postgraduate diploma in counselling at La Trobe University.
He already runs a successful Heavy Metal group in Dromana and said men came from far and wide for the program.
“We have men from Berwick, Dandenong, Pakenham and each week we have a consistent group who are really making progress.
“We hope the same thing happens with this program and that people from all areas will come along and take part,” he said.
The Pakenham group will be held on Thursdays from 7pm9pm from 6 October.
Anyone interested in attending Heavy Metal can call David Nugent on 0401 766 877.