Courses run by GMFA
GMFA courses use a mix of information, skills and activities that allow you to learn what you want to in a safe, fun and friendly atmosphere. They are facilitated by trained and experienced volunteers of GMFA, many of whom are facilitators in their professional life as well.
GMFA provides Stop Smoking courses for gay men in London. GMFA also works with with CHAPS partner agencies to provide groupwork in London and across the UK. Details of GMFA courses outside London can be found on our National Groupwork site: www.gmfa.org.uk/national.
Courses held on Saturdays normally run from 10am to 5pm. The Stop Smoking Course meetings are held on weekdays from 7pm to 9pm. Please be aware that you may be refused entry to a course if you arrive after the start time.
Men of all ages book on to GMFA courses and 96% of our past participants would recommend the course they have attended to another gay man.
If you are interested in attending a GMFA course we recommend that you read the course information first and then book your place via the online booking form. We’ve also provided a page of ‘important information’ in case you have any other questions that haven’t been answered here.
We look forward to seeing you on one of our courses.
Currently available:
Courses in GMFA’s London programme:
| 1 day | Saturday 18 October 2008 from 10am to 5pm |
|---|---|
| Booking | Book a place. |
Your arse can give you lots of sexual pleasure. The arse is also the route by which most men become infected with HIV. This one day course teaches you how to get the most pleasure from your arse while decreasing the risk of HIV transmission.
Who should attend?
The course is for any gay or bisexual man who wants to find out more about anal sex.
Course Detail
Unprotected anal sex is the major route of HIV transmission among gay men and the course covers how and why this is, giving you information on how your arse works, how you can keep it healthy, and how by doing this you can improve your sex life.
The course also covers why it can be painful for you when you are being fucked, and gives clear guidance on how you can move from this pain into pleasure. You’ll find out more about HIV and how it’s transmitted, as well as learning more about sex toys like dildos and how they can be useful in helping you to explore the sensations you like without the pressure of pleasing a partner. Whether you are a ‘top’ or ‘bottom’ we believe you will learn lots that will help you to improve your sex life and keep it safe.
| No dates currently available. |
A lack of confidence in sexual situations can force you into accepting whatever sex is on offer rather than what you want. The Confident Cruising course is a one day course and is designed to help you improve your cruising skills, whether you’re in a bar, a sauna, online or just walking down the street.
Who should attend?
Confident Cruising is for any gay or bisexual man who wants to sharpen their cruising skills both online and face to face.
Course Detail
The course will help you develop the confidence and skills to negotiate the sex you want, keep to your safer sex rules, and enable you to say no when you want to when cruising or arranging to meet someone. You’ll learn some top tips and practical ways that can help improve the chances of getting more of what you want.
You’ll look at the advantages and disadvantages of all of the different places that gay men cruise, and build your understanding about how to get the best out of every way that you cruise. You’ll build a better idea of what you want, and the confidence to approach the men you like. And you’ll develop your ability to be honest with yourself about whether you will be successful that time with that guy, or whether to move on or leave.
| No dates currently available. |
Getting a Boyfriend is a one day course designed to help you approach relationships with a new understanding of yourself and what you want from your love-life.
Who should attend?
Getting a Boyfriend is for any gay man that wants to improve their understanding about the processes involved in looking for a partner and establishing a relationship with them.
Course detail:
The course covers the time from preparing for and meeting a potential partner up until about 3 months into the relationship.
The course is designed to help you understand whether you are ready for a relationship; what you bring to, and want from a relationship as well as the qualities that attract you to a man. Practical exercises will help you to have a better understanding of yourself, and of what you look for in a relationship and in a potential partner.
The course also covers the sexual decisions that are made in relationships, how your safer sex strategy may change, and how to minimise your risks of HIV and STI infection.
| Begins | Tuesday 26 August 2008 from 7pm to 9pm |
|---|---|
| Continues | Tuesday 2 September 2008, Tuesday 9 September 2008, Tuesday 16 September 2008, Tuesday 23 September 2008, Tuesday 30 September 2008, Tuesday 7 October 2008 |
| Booking | Fully booked. |
| Next date | Thursday 30 October 2008 from 7pm to 9pm |
| Continues | Thursday 6 November 2008, Thursday 13 November 2008, Thursday 20 November 2008, Thursday 27 November 2008, Thursday 4 December 2008, Thursday 11 December 2008 |
| Booking | Book a place. |
| Next date | Tuesday 4 November 2008 from 7pm to 9pm |
| Continues | Tuesday 11 November 2008, Tuesday 18 November 2008, Tuesday 25 November 2008, Tuesday 2 December 2008, Tuesday 9 December 2008, Tuesday 16 December 2008 |
| Booking | Book a place. |
Gay men are more likely to smoke, start smoking earlier, and continue smoking for longer than straight men. HIV positive gay men are more likely to smoke than HIV negative gay men, and are more likely to suffer from smoking related illnesses, such as lung cancer and emphysema, than HIV negative smokers.
GMFA has been running Stop Smoking courses for gay men since 2001 that are specifically designed and facilitated by gay men and based on the NHS approved course. Having an all gay group to quit with makes it easier for you to share how quitting will impact on your life when socialising, cruising or relaxing.
Who should attend?
The course is for any gay or bisexual man who wants to quit smoking. In addition, the course is particularly useful for men with HIV as it is the only UK course that contains advice on the interaction of Nicotine Replacement Therapy with HIV treatment.
Course Detail
If you want to stop smoking then our seven session Stop Smoking course for gay men can help. Evidence shows that the support you get from a Stop Smoking course, combined with the relief from withdrawal symptoms that Nicotine Replacement Therapy gives you, makes your attempt to quit ten times more likely to succeed than if you use willpower alone.
During the course the facilitators will cover some of the ‘science bits’ to help you understand why you find it so hard to quit and how to get the maximum benefit from any of the Nicotine Replacement Therapies that you may choose to use. The main emphasis of the group meetings is on understanding and supporting you through your quit attempt.
The third week of the course is the quit date and the group quits smoking together (so keep smoking until then). At each subsequent meeting until the end of the course you have your carbon monoxide level tested using monitors which verify that you have stopped smoking.
You should not be discouraged from joining a group by fear of failure as everyone in the group knows how difficult it can be to quit, and anyone who doesn’t succeed in their attempt will be shown sympathy and understanding.
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