What does it mean to be a bloke today? And what do we want it to look like tomorrow?
These are the questions men in the Midwest are tackling, with the help of Tomorrow Man.
Tomorrow Man facilitate “A Night with the Blokes” workshops for men in sporting clubs, workplaces and communities. They explore how men can look after themselves, their mates, and their families better, while carving out their own version of the Aussie man.
Tomorrow Man delivers workshops around Australia to people of all ages, and they are on their way to the Midwest to have no holds barred conversations, helping local men create a healthier life.
The Midwest workshops are run by experienced facilitator Rhett Corker, a Western Australian man who has worked on farms, factories and minesites, and has more recently overseen national mental health programs for Movember.
“Across my jobs I found that no matter what our background was, us blokes struggled to talk about the difficult things we were dealing with, whether physical or emotional,” Rhett said.
“From this I grew a passion for giving blokes the space to have meaningful conversations and learn from one another.
“This is one of our main goals at Tomorrow Man, to get beyond the banter and provide the training grounds for blokes to support their mates when they might be battling something difficult. Whether that’s a break up, losing your job, family issues or anything else.”
The Tomorrow Man workshops are coming to seven Midwest towns, as part of the Check Mate Men’s Mental Health Initiative, supported by WA Primary Health Alliance as part of the Midwest Suicide Prevention Trial.
Check Mate’s mission is to combat the stigma around men’s mental health at a grass roots level, and to build lasting support networks between the men in Midwest communities, as well as medical professionals and key service providers.
“The Tomorrow Man facilitators have the skills to connect with men from all different backgrounds, and the ability to help participants get the most out of these workshops,” Check Mate co-founder Candice Lupton said.
The Midwest Suicide Prevention Trial aims to decrease stigma, and empower local communities to improve the lives of men in the region.
“We feel it is important to support Check Mate and their initiatives such as the Tomorrow Man tour, so that they can build a strong foundation and be sustainable into the future,” WA Primary Health Alliance Midwest Trial coordinator Jacki Ward said.
“We want to help men build their support networks, and to feel safe having tough conversations, so they can support each other through hard times.”
The Tomorrow Man tour of the Midwest is supported by Check Mate Men’s Mental Health Initiative, Mingenew Community Resource Centre, CBH Group, the Foundation for Regional and Rural Renewal, and the WA Primary Health Alliance as part of the Midwest Suicide Prevention Trial.