It has been almost 6 months since launching Better Bloke. We’re sure you’ve seen a post or two along the way, but we’re not sure everyone understands what we’re doing to lets take a dive into what it is, why we did it, and what we have & will be doing!
The team at Blokes Advice has worked behind the scenes for 8 years managing one of Australia’s strongest and largest communities, and outside of the banter, laughs & entertainment, there has been countless moments where the members of the group have received life changing, and even life saving, advice, acts of kindness, and support. From raising funds for children’s funerals, to welfare checks as men are hanging up a rope, to tours around the country destigmatising the Black Dog.
The Better Bloke Project is an Australian registered charity dedicated to furthering this work, and pursue the goal of making Better Blokes in an effort to prevent losing more men to their own hands.
With so many organisations existing dedicated to suicide prevention, why do so many men resort to a simple Facebook group as a last resort?
We believe the answer is our ethos. We’re 300 000 men who can see themselves in one another. While professional services are crucial and should never be discounted, there is an incredible power in lived experience, relatable individuals, and shared core values. For some it might be seeing the bonds built over banter, while others may relate to our inability to be politically correct, or some may be disillusioned by traditional healthcare and an ‘online pub chat’ is the safe space to take their first step.
Whether you agree with our approach or not, tens of thousands of men have reached out for help and many attribute Blokes Advice and its community to the reason they stand today.
With our unique approach to engagement and training, the organisation distinguishes itself by being “average bloke led,” meaning that it is run by individuals who can relate to the experiences and challenges faced by the the men we represent.
Whilst we engage with health professionals, these services can often be seen as unrelatable and placed at a distance. The Better Bloke approach helps create an environment where men feel comfortable seeking guidance and support, before taking that step. Saturdays are for the boys!
After 12 months of jumping through the hoops the government requires you to do before helping people, it has been 6 months since launching the project and this is what we’ve achieved:
It’s not always easy to meet new people nowadays so we have hosted multiple community meet-up events under our BBQ & Chill banner to encourage blokes to connect in the real world. They have proved that the camaraderie from the group can serve as ice-breaker for blokes, and their families, to catch up and expand their circles. The monthly events have been happening around South East QLD, with plans to extend them further south in the coming months.
We hosted our first Mental Health Pathways event, in conjunction with psychologist Lee Hughes. This event was designed to give members a better understanding of the professional services that are available to them like the Mental Health Care Plan (and what to do beyond this). We discussed expectations from professional services, the usage of medications, and common factors that affect mens wellbeing such as family affairs, substance abuse, and managing stress.
Our first interstate event was in July, where Matty & Rob were invited as keynote speakers at OnePoint Health’s ‘Boys Night In’ event in Sydney. The boys discussed what had been learnt over multiple years managing the Blokes Advice group, and key issues we see our members face time and time again.
Rob joined Are You Bogged Mate? for a 4 day retreat helping country blokes talk about mental health and suicide, while spreading awareness about depression in the bush.
Blokes Advice & The Better Bloke Project attended World Time Attack, a car event in Sydney where we were able to spread the word on the group, the project, and give new people access to the platform who may never have known about it. Look out Summernats 2025, we’ll be there!
25 Episodes of The Better Bloke Project have been released, already generating a few million views on topics & conversations we believe more boys need to hear.
The founders, Matty, Rob & Brock, have all held full-time jobs for this process, and been working to show the members and everyone else our vision. All of the work has been done without fund raising or grants, and nothing but unpaid labour to build what we think will help. As we roll into the back end of 2024 we are preparing for more events, more free resources, and to scale the impact The Better Bloke Project has had in the past 6 months.
Don’t be fooled, the Better Bloke Project is not just a podcast, but it does allow us to share the some incredible stories and continue that ethos of relatability we mentioned. Our guest episodes feature men who would be seen as ‘achieved’, and we aim to break down their heroes story into a much more average tale so others understand it’s not out of reach for them with a little accountability, some hard work, and likely a big step outside of their comfort zone.
At 25 episodes in, we’ve covered topics from fatherhood, to self-development, to risking it all for the life you want. The ever hilarious Willem Powerfish shared the pitfalls of social media and his relationship with fame & money, while Bondi Rescue’s Whippet discussed the mental fortitude required to face life & death situations on the daily. We’ve had Blokes Advice members join us like Dane Lyons, who lost a whopping 170kg because of the support of the BA community, and Kyle AKA Luxifer who sold his business and risked a good stable life to drive his 2000hp Hilux in America.
Not to toot our own horn, but 85 5-star reviews are in on Spotify… JP said “Alright guys! Listen in, these guys what every guy needs , I’ve been a long time viewer from the start on the Facebook group. I went to Australia and it was the year this all kicked off, difficult time in my life but also a real good time. Got heaps at that time from community these guys built. Keen to hear more in the future keep smashing it!"
The podcast is just getting started, so many sure you head over and follow/subscribe to stay up to date with the latest videos. New episodes drop every week at 5am Wednesdays.
Youtube
Spotify
Apple
The first 6 months of the project has snowballed faster than expected with so many of you getting around the mission.
The next 6 months we will be doubling down to being similar events to other parts of the country, launching more online resources, and partnering with more people who align with our approach to making blokes a little bit better.
Thank you to those who have supported us so far: Vibez Creative, Boutique Business House, The Anglers Inn, OnePoint Health, Pavise & Ausso!
