Violence prevention: New seminar for a responsible masculinity

Violence prevention: New seminar for a responsible masculinity

In a remarkable step towards prevention of violence among young people, the Vienna Men's Advice has made an important contribution with its program of anti-violence therapy for young people (AGTJ). The initiative is aimed at young people up to 21 years and offers access to violence prevention both via legal instructions and voluntarily. The program aims to move the young people to take on their responsibility and to focus on the causes and consequences of acts of violence. Loud ORF Vienna Young people often know what they do, but rarely why they act like this.

The methodological concept of the AGTJ includes group and individual work, for which psychotherapeutic and psychodynamic methods are used. This includes techniques such as psychodrama, transaction analysis and concentrative movement therapy. In the case of individual work, experienced therapists work closely with the participants in order to take gender -specific aspects into account. Groups with a maximum of nine participants promote personal development and require weekly participation over a period of two years.

Masculinity and violence: a critical seminar

In parallel to the AGTJ, a seminar on critical masculinity research and its relevance in pedagogical practice is also offered. This seminar, that of the Pro juventute academy is organized, takes place for over two days and deals with central topics such as hegemonic masculinity and intersectionality. The aim is to convey basic knowledge of gender and masculinity as well as to bring the reflection methods and approaches to the prevention of violence in youth work.

The first seminar day is about learning and living from various masculinity as well as the associated costs and privileges. The second day is dedicated to the approaches to violence prevention and presents theater pedagogical methods, reflection exercises and group tasks. Particular attention is paid to how to deal with disclosures of violent experiences.

Take responsibility for your own future

For the participants of the AGTJ program, it is crucial to deal intensively with their own personality and to develop alternative options for action. The connection between masculinity and violence is to be broken up through targeted interventions in order to reduce violent behavior. Studies have already documented that values ​​in adolescence can be particularly questioned, which underlines the efficiency of these programs.

Conclusion: The initiatives from the Vienna Men's Advice and the Pro Juventute Academy set the right impulse to raise awareness and prevention in a critical phase of life of young people. They rely on reflection, responsibility and change to shape a non -violent future for the generation of tomorrow. Further details on the AGTJ program can be found Men.at.