Good Beginnings – pre-marriage mentoring for Muslim couples
The Good Beginnings program encourages conversations for Muslim couples on how to create respectful relationships, at the beginning of their journey together.
Project history
Led by the Sir Zelman Cowen Centre in partnership with Benevolence Australia, 'Good Beginnings’ has been collaboratively developed as a pre-marriage mentoring resource for Muslim couples.
The program works to create opportunities for conversations with Muslim pre-marriage couples about how to build respectful relationships and strong marriages when they are at the beginning of their journey together.
It is a world first primary prevention program funded by the Department of Social Services (Community-led Projects to Prevent Violence against Women and their Children – 4-DPV4EVR) to address the gendered drivers of violence against women using OurWatch’s primary prevention framework 'Change the Story'.
Project objectives
Good Beginnings incorporates Islamic teachings, best practice primary prevention models, scientific theory, and counselling techniques to make this a world first program that is tailored to the Australian context, and Muslim faith.
The course is non-prescriptive, rather it meets each couple where they are and teaches them simple techniques to turn the inevitable conflict that comes with marriage into opportunities for growth.
The project design employs SZCC’s model of community capacity building, which involves.
- A collaborative learning model: using a train-the-trainer method, Good Beginnings trains Muslim community members who currently work as counsellors, marriage celebrants, psychologists, mental health workers or social workers to use the Good Beginnings model in pre-marriage sessions with engaged Muslim couples.
- Multilayered engagement across the community: recognising that community members are the experts in their own needs, the diverse Muslim community informed the content and delivery of the program. Extensive community consultations have been ongoing throughout Good Beginning’s development and delivery; with community’s voice informing the content and scope of the resources as well as program delivery.
- Devolution: the resources and train-the-trainer program will be handed over to Benevolence at the conclusion of the funding.
Good Beginnings in the news
Find Good Beginnings featured in the following news articles:
- Good Beginnings celebrates further funding, Australian Muslim Times, November 2022
- Islamic Council of Victoria, Newsletter, May 2022
- Good Beginnings for pre-marriage Muslim couples, Australian Muslim Times, April 2022
- البدايات الجيدة": برنامج لمساعدة العروسين على دخول القفص الذهبي بخطى واثقة, SBS Arabic, March 2022
- Secrets to a happy marriage: New ‘coaching’ course for Muslim couples, SBS English, March 2022
