Preventing domestic violence within collectivist cultures: A community-based well-being group for men.

The Men's Well-being Group (WBG) offers a 10-session community-based, peer- support program to foster men's mental health, healthy relationship skills, and build commitment to violence prevention. Emerging from Calgary’s Latino community, a facilitator training program was delivered by the Alberta Men’s Network in the summer of 2022, which included four additional ethno-cultural communities. Through a partnership with the University of Calgary, Faculty of Social Work, community based participatory action research was used to evaluate the facilitator training and included surveys, focus groups, and narrative interviews. The community leaders (N=8) from diverse ethnocultural communities who completed the facilitator training provided their insights and recommendations on the adaptability and relevance of the WBG to their own cultural and faith communities. All of the participants shared that providing men with culturally appropriate spaces is essential to enhancing their well-being and fostering healthy relationships. According to the men’s evaluations, community leaders were able to build ties with other men and help reduce barriers faced by isolated men when seeking support. This poster provides an overview of the Well-Being Group will be shared, as well as the implications of community-based interventions for well-being that utilize practices that are culturally relevant.

Presenters:

Noemi Ramirez Escobar, BSW Student, University of Calgary Faculty of Social Work
Sarah Thomas, BSW, Project Coordinator, University of Calgary Faculty of Social Work

Arya Boustani, Community Leader

Liza Lorenzetti, Ph.D, Project Lead, University of Calgary Faculty of Social Work

Sebastian Benavides, Community Leader
Kamal Khatiwada, Community Leader
Jun Naraval, Community Leader

Badri Karki, Community Leader
Jeff Halvorsen, Ph.D, Research Coordinator, University of Calgary Faculty of Social Work