Building a sharing circle for men from migrant and refugee backgrounds is “something personal” for Shankar Kasynathan.
During his term as a former Victorian Multicultural Commissioner, Kasynathan says he was troubled by the absence of such points of connection and support.
“I was working with refugee and migrant communities and coming across men harming themselves and harming others.
“In Covid, I saw a peak in family violence numbers, especially in the South East. And I looked around to see what opportunities and spaces were available for men.”
The Mens Shed movement doesn’t resonate with young migrant men, for example. Many aren’t keen to ply their hands in a workshop.
“Their go-to instead is their career, it’s employment, it’s workplace discrimination and trying to get a meaningful job.”
These themes are the ice-breakers for Kasynathan’s mens circle The Open Exchange, which meets monthly at Walker Street Gallery and Arts Centre in Dandenong.
As the men share their work experiences, they build trust and a “space of vulnerability”, Kasynathan says.
Conversations tend to expand into other parts of their lives.
A chat about their entitlements to workplace equality and dignity might lead into talking about respectful relationships, behaviour patterns at home and their impact on partners and children.
“It’s a challenge for people from migrant refugee communities to lean in. A lot of guys don’t speak English and it’s a challenge for them to have an English-only conversation.”
The group’s tagline is ‘you get more than you give’.
“You find that after the sharing, you get more from the space than what you came to give.”
For Kasynathan, he says he might be a case of “art imitating life”. She’s suffered his own anxiety issues and mental health challenges due to burnout at work.
He’s since become a mental-health first-aid accredited instructor and started a diploma in counselling.
“It’s been a humbling experience to be a part of the space. And to move from a multicultural commissioner role to a group faciliatator and counsellor to create this space.”
He emphasizes that the circle welcomes men of all backgrounds and not just new arrivals to Australia.
The Open Exchange meets at Walker Street Gallery and Arts Centre on the first Tuesday of each month, 6.30pm-8pm (enter from Robinson Street). Details: info@theopenexchange.org or 0422 845 085
