Men Sustaining Change pilot and evaluation

Background

The UnitingCare Men’s Sustaining Change (MSC) program has been developed in response to some men's need for ongoing support after they have completed the 16-week core men's behaviour change program, Men Choosing Change (MCC). The MSC program is being piloted at Maroochydore, Sunshine Coast over a two-year period from 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2023. MSC aims to support Queensland families to be violence-free by embedding a changed culture where male peers role-model respectful relationships and support each other to sustain change. To understand the effectiveness of MSC, UnitingCare has commissioned a two-year evaluation led by QCDFVR.

Aim

The MSC evaluation aims to evidence the effectiveness of this program to inform policy and practice recommendations. UnitingCare wishes to understand the success of implementation (process evaluation) and outcomes for participants (outcomes evaluation) to provide lessons and insights, informing and strengthening processes and procedures for all men’s behaviour change programs.

Methods

The project uses a mixed-methods, phased and participatory approach.
Phase 1 involves a co-design workshop with UnitingCare and external stakeholders to review the evaluation framework. Drawing on comprehensive program monitoring data (ongoing) the evaluation will initially examine the establishment of the pilot to identify what worked well. Phase 2 will further examine the implementation of the pilot (staff and stakeholder interviews) to identify what is working well and areas to refine. In addition, the immediate and medium-term outcomes for the MSC participants and their partners, former partners and children will be explored (through feedback surveys, outcomes measurement tools and interviews).

Significance

The current pilot program and evaluation builds on a previous evaluation, conducted by QCDFVR, of UnitingCare’s core men’s behaviour change program, MCC. This evaluation found that many partners/ex-partners of men who had attended MCC believed that some men would benefit from more support beyond the 16-week program to sustain or deepen their journey towards non-violence. The MSC program was designed in response, and the evaluation of the pilot provides an opportunity to build evidence about men's long-term desistence from violence as well as the design, implementation and effectiveness of behaviour maintenance programs in an Australian context.

Funding Body

UnitingCare

Project start date

September 2021

Expected completion date

August 2023