Understanding the BEAST | A Community of Practice with sgMAN

We often talk about the challenges boys and men face: managing anger and stress, communicating what they feel and need, asking for help, navigating conflict and rejection, building healthy relationships, or responding thoughtfully when emotions run high. But if we want boys and men to become more socially and emotionally capable, what are the skills and capacities they actually need to develop? That question is bigger than it first appears. Emotional awareness? Self-regulation? Empathy? Communication? Listening? Managing conflict? Setting boundaries? Asking for help? Taking responsibility? Repairing relationships? The more we explore it, the more it starts to feel like a beast of a question. So for this Community of Practice, sgMAN invites men to help us Understand the BEAST. BEAST stands for Basic Emotional And Social Tools, a working idea we are exploring for making socio-emotional development more accessible, relevant and engaging for boys and men. We don't have a finished curriculum to present. That's the point. Together, we will explore what socio-emotional mastery could mean in practice, identify the skills and capacities we think boys and men need, examine how they relate to one another, and begin making sense of what might belong within the BEAST. You don't need a background in psychology, counselling, education or men's work. Bring your experiences, observations, questions and perspectives. This is a participatory session. Come prepared to think, contribute, listen, question and build on the ideas of other men. What is sgMAN’s Community of Practice? sgMAN’s Community of Practice is a space for men to explore how we can put what we are learning into practice in our lives, relationships and communities. This is part of Walk the Talk, the fifth step of the sgMAN journey. You don’t need to be an expert or come with a solution. Come with your experiences, questions, ideas and willingness to work with others. Wednesday, 30 September 2026 Doors open: 7.00pm Session: 7.30pm - 10.00pm Venue: Singapore Drama Educators Association (SDEA), Goodman Arts Centre Blk B, #04-02, 90 Goodman Road, Singapore 439053 Come as you are.