Essentially Men Network

The Essentially Men weekend is the doorway to a lot more for those that choose it. It is a way to participate with a diverse network of men who are improving their lives and those of the people around them by continued support, friendship and enquiry into what it is to be a man. The network is strongest in the Auckland region and has local links in many other New Zealand Regions.

Following the weekend there is an integration group running over five weeks that most participants choose to be part of. This sets the ground for these men to establish on-going peer men's groups or friendship networks that often continue for years. Men become part of the Essentially Men network and are kept in touch with other activities of interest by a regular newsletter.

To support the growth and development of the men's groups there are occasional community building days focused on developing the work. There are advanced workshops such as the five-day Co Counselling training and a five-day residential event in the winter called Essence of Men, which is the stage-two of Essentially Men. There is an annual four-day Summer gathering called Get off the Concrete, for men in the network to further build connection and involve their sons and other young men. There is the annual Pathways Programme, a five day outdoor event for men to bring along 14-15 year old sons/family members to co create a rites of passage event.

For men who want to offer something back to the community to support other men there are ways to become involved in service. They can become part of the Service Team for one of the Essentially Men workshops. Men can train to be a telephone counsellor for Mensline, a seven-day a week phone service to support men in the community. Men can train to be a part of the ManAlive Big Buddy Mentoring scheme where they spend a few hours per week being a mentor to a boy who otherwise would have no significant contact with an adult man.

Essentially Men, 13 Maidstone Street, Ponsonby, Auckland, NZ, Phone: (09) 376 2386, essentiallymen@clear.net.nz