| AGM AND COMMITTEE | GAMMA WEBSITE |
| MEETINGS | OUR SOCIAL ACTIVITIES |
| COFFEE at 414 Elizabeth Street | |
| EXPANDING OUR ACTIVITIES | |
Welcome to those of you who’ve opened up this final edition of the GAMMA newsletter for 2011.
In this digital age, websites and email addresses always seem to be asking for passwords and keywords, and if there is a keyword for GAMMA activities in 2011, it’s probably ‘new’.
First of all, there was something new about this year's AGM. Held on Wednesday 5th October, it was the best attended AGM we’ve ever had. This was a great representation of the energy evident within GAMMA over the year and the commitment toward supporting GAMMA's work. This led to more activity in the voting for the committee and has given us a group that blends the experience of the older members with some welcome new blood.
David Hoskins has stayed on as secretary, Scott Middleton is treasurer, and Graham Foreman continues as our Webmaster.
Along with Peter Kay, joining them are Steven Bloom, Steve Clarke and Greg Warren as Social Convenor.
There is a great heart for GAMMA within the group and in 2012 investment in training this group will be undertaken in skills such as awareness, active listening and group facilitation. Thank you guys for offering your services.
ACON has provided us with a new home for our meetings in 2011, a vast improvement as those who remember Commonwealth Street can attest.
New signage at 414 Elizabeth Street
In planning meetings, we’ve worked hard to make the meetings in our 2011 schedule as varied and relevant to the needs of men as they can be.
Our speakers have included some friends of GAMMA whom we've seen before: Eric Hudson and Tony Williams, both counsellors and former members of the group, have been back to share their wisdom with us on topics ranging from practical tips for handling moments of stress to what makes men who query their sexuality have elements of self loathing in their personality.
For those separating from female partners and concerned about the legal implications, we've had Paul Boers from the Inner City legal Service, and to talk about separation from the wives' point of view, Roxanne McMurray from the Leichhardt Women's Community health Centre came and spent an evening.
The Leichhardt Centre's "Women Partners of Bisexual Men Service" deserves a word here. It is the only service of its kind in Australia and provides, in the words of the Centre's own website, "information to support women who are trying to deal with their male partner's bisexuality or homosexual attraction".
I believe that by working with Roxanne and her group, we can bridge some of the gaps that naturally appear when separation has an element of divided sexuality in it. By supporting parents through this crisis we can also help support the best interests of any children of the relationship. We'll certainly be asking Roxanne back in 2012.
Sometimes former GAMMA members come in and share their stories and on one evening we had a panel of people from various gay sporting and other organisations talking abut their activities. We've also had some of the people from ACON tell us about their services, and a GP discussing depression and sexually transmitted infections.
But sometimes we don't go with the formality of an organised guest, and just devote the evening to providing men opportunity to share their experiences and listen to what others have to say. One group member said to me recently: "when I came to my first meeting, I heard one of the men say that he had just come out to his son, and I couldn't imagine myself doing the same thing. But I've done it now, and feel that a great weight has been lifted off my shoulders."
Coffee 'in the room' after meetings is also a new feature of our activities at 414 Elizabeth Street.
Those who joined us in Commonwealth Street will remember going up the road to one or two places in Oxford Street when meetings were over. Now, we usually linger in the ACON building after the more formal parts of the meeting finish, and it's surprising - and pleasing - to see how conversations are extended and views are exchanged.
Supper on the premises started because there are very few quiet venues in the Elizabeth Street area we can go to at the time when meetings finish: now staying for coffee is a welcome part of the GAMMA meeting structure.
Work on what we have dubbed "The GAMMA Project" is progressing under Peter Kay's expert hand, and the first of the interviews with men sharing the stories of their journeys are newly up on the Video page of our website.
Finally this project will develop into an e-book of about a dozen men's stories, with a possible hard copy edition to follow.
Peter deserves special and unique thanks for undertaking such a major project.
Our members were also invited to take part in a different kind of survey between September and November. Andrew Gowland, a 3rd year medical student from UWS, took the unusual step (for a young man) of undertaking a student placement with the Leichhardt Women's Health Centre for a term. Because of our links to the LWHC's services to women partners of gay and bisexual men, which I've mentioned above, Andrew undertook a survey of men who attend GAMMA. The individual results of course, are confidential, but the survey was very thorough (26 questions) and we will use information gained from the 58 responses received to serve our men better in 2012.
I will share the general themes and knowledge from the survey in a subsequent newsletter in 2012. Evidence gathered will also be invaluable in preparing our next three- year funding application to the South Eastern Sydney Health District coming up soon.
In 2011, Graham and I have undertaken a major overhaul of the content of the GAMMA website, and as a result about half the men who come to a meeting for the first time find us through the site. The site is now constantly updated to show current meetings and other activities, with a carefully vetted selection of support services and other assistance available to our men. There are no passwords or keywords required!
And we now have a video welcome on our home page – hosted by me as president, and giving newcomers a guided tour through our meeting facilities and procedures. Graham tells me it is viewed by about one-third of the visitors to the home page.
The site subscribes to the Google Analytics service, and current statistics show that in the month of November, there were 756 visitors, most of them looking for support, counselling, or assistance. This is a phenomenal number for a niche information site, and we will keep on with updates and improvements in 2012.
As you'll be aware if you've visited the site earlier in the year, it also has a totally new look for the first time in years. Thanks to Garry, our technical support man, who designed it for us.
And last but not least . . .
What’s new in social activities is our monthly brunch, which we started in August and have continued since.
It was a trial in the beginning, but evidence is that it is a welcome addition to the calendar. Between eight and twelve men have joined together on each occasion,
some staying for the full time, and others just dropping in for a cup of coffee or a quick "hello". Those who come have said that they appreciate being with
a group whose company they enjoy, while not in the fairly formal circumstances of a meeting.
Our first brunch for 2012 will be on Sunday 22 January (avoiding the Australia Day festivities). We're trying to find a permanent home for this activity, so if anyone reading this has any ideas, feel free to bring them up at a meeting or email Scott.
We're not dropping our previously favourite social events. We will have a mid-year dinner with as interesting a speaker as we can engage, and other events like a play or movie at Mardi Gras time will stay on the calendar. But Greg is looking for other ideas as well, and if you've got something to offer, don't hold on to it – feel free to speak up.
That pretty well wraps up 2011. A success I believe, but one that doesn't call for complacency. GAMMA can never afford to stay still, and just as it has evolved over its thirty-year life so far, so will it in 2012.
And, we hope, for many years ahead.
May I take this opportunity to thank you all for your support of GAMMA during 2011 and "being there" for each other. The courage and integrity demonstrated by each man as he seeks to strive toward authenticity I find often truly inspirational – a living expression of GAMMA's values.
On behalf of the GAMMA committee I wish you all the very best for this Christmas holiday season and very much look forward to seeing you in the New Year.
Warmest Regards
Peter Kadwell
GAMMA PRESIDENT