Local Men's Network - Blue Mountains

Kim & Geoff attended a meeting with Ken Henderson, Lyn Bevington and Mick Barrett at 10.15am in the Bungarrabee Centre at 48 Oaklands Rd Hazelbrook.

We have apologies from Lee the new CDW (Community Development Worker) at Springwood NC and Can Yasmut the CDW at Blackheath ANC - that are interested but unable to attend at this time.

Information share from all of 3 minutes each about what we are currently doing or know about in relation to men's issues. Background about Mens Issues Working Party (MIWP) and its original purpose and history was proviced by Mick and documented earlier in this weblog.

Once we had heard all the ideas the group then considered collectively if there is a future role for the MIWP. There was discussion about

• lack of funds for supported professional programmes that had been running a the Mid-Mountains Centre.
• possibility of establishing OMNI and an evening mens group in the Mid Mountains
• coordinating mens initiatives to provide wider demographic and geographic coveage in the mountains.
  
• future development of MIWP increasing activity and inclusion of other agencies
  

The general consensus of the meeting was that there should be another meeting in early 2006 that would hopefully be more inclusive of active Mens Workers. At that meeting consideration should be given to planning a larger Forum of interested agencies and those involved in delivery of services to men. The active goal of such a forum would be identify services being delivered, services not being delivered and identify such actions as could be taken to develop programmes for the wellbeing of men in the Blue Mountains.

The proposed next meeting date is 21 February 2006 facilitated by Kim Hopkins (ph 4758 8248).