Men who have demonstrated a willingness to be involved in attempting to end gender-based violence in Westmoreland County will be asked to join the FAME group.  This group of men will be asked to commit to the four phases of being an advocate:

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• Awareness:  knowing who you are and how your beliefs and behaviors impact the existence of gender-based violence in the culture;

• Knowledge/Education:  learning about male privilege and assumptions about masculinity, as well as addressing the perceptions that men in our culture are raised with related to gender equality

• Skills:  being comfortable with and able to share this knowledge, and becoming equipped to challenge preconceived ideas supporting gender inequality and its linkage to gender-based violence; and

• Action:  engaging in ongoing dialogue about these issues among men and in groups of men and women.

There are three levels of engagement for our FAME group:

• Champions:

  • Requires participation in an initial three-hour advocates training session.

  • Will serve as leaders and mentors among the other advocates, participating as facilitators in future FAME trainings.

  • Will be public representatives of the FAME group in the community.

  • Will serve as ambassadors to the community through public speaking and other opportunities.

  • Will assist with recruiting new members.

  • Will make specific commitment to community action and will participate in Blackburn Center actions, such as Walk a Mile in Her Shoes.

• Partners:

  • Requires participatation in an initial three-hour advocates training session.

  • Will serve as ambassadors to the community through public speaking and other opportunities.

  • Will assist with recruiting new members.

  • Will make specific commitment to community action and will participate in Blackburn Center actions, such as Walk a Mile in Her Shoes.

• Supporters:

  • Will make specific commitment to community action and will participate in Blackburn Center actions, such as Walk a Mile in Her Shoes.