By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
MEN looking to change their behaviour towards their family and friends are being encouraged to take part in an ABC documentary which will focus on the positive influence of a Casey-based men’s group.
The Heavy METAL (Men’s Education Towards Anger and Life) group, based in Narre Warren, will be a primary focus of next year’s documentary as independent filmmaker, Sophie Wiesner, films and collates the progress of the participants as they embark on a life-changing journey.
“There was violence in my mum’s family when she was growing up and I’ve grown up around the stories of that,” Ms Wiesner said.
“I was working in documentary television and went to Australian Film Television Radio School and gathered skills over the years and decided I wanted to work on a project that meant something to me and that I thought would potentially help others.”
“We talked with a number of organisations in Victoria but Dave’s was one that I was drawn to for a couple of reasons. One is Dave’s story – he isn’t just professionally trained in this area, he’s lived some of the challenges that these families go through.
“That was really powerful to me and I thought it could be very powerful for everybody else.”
Dave Nugent, who started up Heavy METAL in 2004, is a trained counsellor and psychotherapist who specialises in men’s behavioural change programs.
“I used to think I was a top bloke. I didn’t realise I was as bad as what I was,” Dave, 53, said.
“Then one particular day, I was in my early thirties. My partner and I were invited to a family function and we had a disagreement before the function and I spat the dummy and didn’t want to go.
“But then I didn’t expect her to go, she was assertive enough to say ‘well that’s your problem, I’m going’ and I got upset about it and I dropped my guard and lost my cool, I publicly lost my cool.”
Ms Wiesner’s documentary, to be aired in the second half of 2015, is currently in pre-production. She and Dave are now calling on men who desire to change their behaviour to take part in the Heavy METAL program and allow their journey to be filmed.
To get involved with Heavy METAL and the documentary, contact Dave on 0401 766 877.
Those who need immediate assistance or need to talk to someone they can trust can contact the Domestic Violence Helpline on 1800 800 098, the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491, or Lifeline on 131 119.
