• 1

  What will it do for me ?

  Have a look at the testimonials. You will see that everyone gets different things but you will notice the common themes of getting connected, regaining control of life, solving problems, becoming a better man/dad/husband, getting happier.

• 2

  How does it work?

  The course (we also call it a program) runs one evening a week for nine weeks. Usually there are about 10 men who have decided to take the course and two or three facilitators who run it. Each night different topics are discussed by the group. The important thing to know that there are no lectures or whiteboards and the discussions will often go to places that the participants have never felt able to talk about before.

• 3

  What are the topics that are discussed?

  Things like: emotions, relationships, sex, fathers and fathering, masculinity. It’s the hard stuff that is usually not explored at all or is talked about superficially. Common Ground gets below the surface.

• 4

  How is it funded?

  You pay for the course and that funds it. We keep the costs to a minimum and we subsidise men who have financial hardship where we can. We don't get any government support and this allows us to both be independent of politicians and not be subject to cutbacks.

• 5

  What will it do for my family ?

  We have a lot of feedback from partners (including some ex-partners) which say things like "better dad" or "I don’t have to walk around on eggshells, he is much less trigger happy". It’s pretty simple: a happier man makes for better life for people he has around him. Have a look at the testimonials.

• 6

  Is it a men’s group?

  Yes, for the nine weeks of the course it is a men’s group run by the facilitators. At the end of the course its usual for the men to decide that they will keep meeting and will run their men’s group themselves. Some of the groups formed in this way have continued for many years and they develop a life of their own.

• 7

  Is there a hidden agenda?

  No. It's not religious, political, gay, straight or any other thing like that. The agenda is to get men listening and supporting each other and learning the way to run their own men’s group if that is what they want.

• 8

  Who runs it?

  It's run by Men's Wellbeing Inc which is a not-for-profit community association. Our tag line is "Men Supporting Men" and that pretty much sums it up. The Common Ground program is one of the things we do. You can look at our website www.menswellbeing.org.

• 9

  What is the support that some of the testimonials talk about?

  Over the nine weeks of the course we get to know each other really well including some of our difficulties. Naturally enough the men give each other support and in many cases friendship as well. Then if the group continues after the nine week these connections grow and deepen.

• 10

  Who does the actual facilitation?

  Firstly it's facilitated by men who have done the course themselves so they know what it is like to come along to something that's different. Secondly they are trained to deliver the program. Finally, they are not experts or psychologists who are going to tell you how to lead your life but they are really skilled at running groups and supporting men to look at themselves and to connect to each other. It's not a program which sets out to "fix" you, but it will provide a place where you can work on fixing or extending yourself.

• 11

  Is it safe?

  Yes. One of the guidelines for the groups is that participation in everything is voluntary. This means that you won't be asked to "do stuff" that is unsafe. In fact, there are several guidelines that are there to keep everyone safe which you will be asked to agree to. Having said that most men find the program challenging. At times it may bring up feelings that are uncomfortable or we may have to face parts of ourselves we don't like. If it wasn’t a challenge it wouldn't be worth doing would it?

• 12

  Where did it come from?

  Over 20 years ago a group of Brisbane men ran a men's help phone service. This eventually evolved into the Men's Wellbeing association and the Common Ground program.

• 13

  How many men have done this before?

  Well over 1000 men have done Common Ground in Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania. The program has been running for over 10 years in the Brisbane area.

• 14

  Why have I not heard of it before?

  Good question. The answer is probably that as a community association we don't have the resources to advertise. We are glad you have heard of it now!

• 15

  Why should I have a men's group?

  Well you probably don't need one to survive. However maybe you need one to thrive? A place where you can step back from the pressure, be accepted without being judged and where you can be heard. If you have never been to one then you really don’t know what you are missing. You have got nothing to lose by coming along and finding out!

• 16

  What is an Info Night?

  Before each course runs we have an information session which is free and you can go to meet the facilitators who will be running the course and learn more about it. You can also meet other men who have done the Common Ground course.  The intro night is usually on a weeknight from 7:00pm to 9:00pm.

• 17

  What does it cost?

  We run men's groups in two ways: The first we call Open Men's Groups. These are free. The second we call Common Ground men's groups. We try and match the cost to your ability to pay. See the details on this page.

• 18

  Money Back Guarantee?

  Provided that you have attended all the nights of the course if you are not satisfied with value for money then contact the program manager and he will refund what you paid. His email is: cg@menswellbeing.org

• 19

  Where and When are the Programs?

  We are running courses in Melbourne and the Brisbane region including the Gold and Sunshine coasts. If you are in Tasmania, contact Tasmen. Have a look at the booking page for details of dates and locations.