MENTORING FOR TEENS

Building healthy, safe and resilient futures

Welcome to our in-school young male mentoring program. Led by qualified Youth Workers and running over two terms, this program focuses on building the skills necessary for young males to navigate the teenage experience. 

Evidence-based, the program is designed to hold space for 14-17 year olds to talk about everything from relationships to alcohol, leadership to vaping, self-awareness to drugs, mental health to porn.

This transformative experience equips them with the skills to navigate complex social dynamics and build a strong, positive identity. Join us in empowering these young individuals to realise their potential and shape a healthy and safe future for themselves and their communities.

from the barber Chair…

Hear directly from students about our 14·17 program and what it can bring to your school or community group.

Leaning into all the big topics

Healthy Decision Making

  • Alcohol
  • Drugs
  • Peer pressure

Leading with Courage

  • Leadership and resilience
  • Mental health
  • Online behaviour

Fostering Healthy Relationships

  • Sexual health
  • Pornography
  • Communication and connection

Embracing Diversity

  • Racism and stereotyping
  • Discrimination
  • Inclusion

see the program brochure

Find out more about the program and what we cover.

Download

Cultivating a positive and real impact

Safe, open environments for young males to freely discuss what matters to them are crucial for change to happen. Often, this is the first time they’ve been able to speak so openly about topics that usually remain behind closed doors. We take great pride in the positive impact our young male mentoring programs have.

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“I’m inspired to make better choices in my life”

%

“I have better strategies to control my anger”

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“I have better tools to manage my mental health”

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“I understand how to have healthy relationships”

Why Top Blokes

Belong. Lasting impact with expert guidance

Lasting impact with expert guidance

Our long-term programs, led by qualified Youth Workers, are designed to create change that lasts, foster leadership and grow boys into adults. We’re with them every step of the way as they navigate life’s challenges and become exemplary community members.

Be. Tailored support from within Australian communities

Tailored support from within Australian communities

We’re deeply rooted in the communities we service, offering tailored, evidence-based programs for boys and young men aged 10-24.

Our approach is local, so we understand and can address community-specific needs so every young male we work with gets the tools he needs to thrive

Become. Empowering healthy masculinities

Empowering healthy masculinities

We focus on fostering positive, healthy masculinities and breaking free from stereotypes.

Our programs are dedicated to empowering young males to find their unique strengths, embrace their true selves, and positively contribute to their communities.

Interested in bringing Top Blokes to your school or community group?

Get in touch

You said…

I saw an incredibly brave student get up at the graduation and talk about his experiences as a man and what he hopes to be moving forward.

Teacher

A Top Bloke means to be respectful. You can open up about anything, and you don’t keep it to yourself.

Top Blokes participant

The students who participated became good mates and showed each other a lot more respect both in and outside of school.

Teacher

Frequently Asked Questions

What steps are involved in starting the program at our school?

Head to Get in Touch to submit your enquiry and we’ll be in touch. We’ll talk through the program, what’s involved and our availability in your area. From that first conversation, you’ll have all the details so you can plan the inclusion of the mentoring program in your school calendar and schedule. If a phone conversation isn’t your thing, we can chat over email.

How do you choose which students attend?

We’ll work with you to identify students you feel would benefit from taking part. It might best suit the young males who display leadership qualities, those who need extra support and guidance, the more reserved or quiet young males in the year group, or a combination. We’ll support you with our 20+ years of experience mentoring young men to select a diverse group of students. 

How many students per group?

8-12 students per group is ideal so they can gain the most out of the program. Depending on the dynamics of the group and the needs of the young males, we can also work with more or fewer students.

How long does the program and each session go for?

Long-term change takes time and consistent support, which is exactly why our programs run across one full term and are co-facilitated by two qualified Youth Workers. 
Each weekly session is around 60 minutes (or one timetabled period), but it feels like it goes by with ease thanks to frequent movement and brain breaks.

What qualifications do the program facilitators hold?

We believe in the power of professional guidance to help young males grow. Our program facilitators are qualified Youth Workers and hold tertiary qualifications in Youth Work, Social Welfare or Psychology. Our entire team carries Working with Children and National Police checks.
Our Youth Workers act as positive role models, helping to expand the students’ circle of influence.

Does the program align with the national curriculum and educational standards?

Yes. Workshop content adheres to all National Mentoring Benchmarks as set by the Australian Youth Mentoring Network. Workshop content is also assessed and approved by an independent committee comprised of psychologists, educators, researchers and parents. Program content is continually updated with the latest research and has a stringent evaluation framework to measure the program’s impact. In particular, we measure outcomes including the degree of improved wellbeing, changes in behaviour and attitudes and increases in knowledge and skill set.

Does the teacher need to be present during the program? What responsibilities do they have?

Whilst it is beneficial for a teacher to be present during the program, it’s not mandatory. Teachers are always welcome, and we highly encourage it, though we do understand from time to time this is not possible. Feedback received from teachers who have stayed for the workshops includes positive reactions to the new strategies they’ve discovered to help support their students. Plus when teachers are present, our Youth Workers can then work with them to address any areas of concern or issues they may be experiencing.
We also ask teachers to be part of our evaluation process by completing a post-program survey and discussing any behavioural issues or disclosures that occur outside the program sessions. 
At the end of the program, the young males will graduate from Top Blokes. This is an important and significant milestone and we welcome teachers, principals, local funders and parents support to make this Graduation Ceremony a memorable event.

Are there any resources or support provided for teachers to integrate the program's learnings into their regular learning?

By observing our Youth Workers, teachers can gain additional insights into working with young males. Our newsletter, plus our latest articles and downloads on the website, also share additional valuable information that can help. 

Can the program be tailored to address specific issues relevant to our students?

Please chat with our team about the specific needs of your students. The more we understand, the more prepared with real-life, specific examples we can be.

What happens if a student is triggered or reports significant distress during the program?

Our qualified Youth Workers are trained in assessing and responding to mental health incidents. Our team also receive ongoing training and development in key areas such as youth mental health, suicide prevention and intervention, trauma in youth and cultural awareness.
If a student needs to leave the room, one of our Youth Workers will be on hand to check in and support. The remainder of the workshop will be led by our second Youth Worker.
Mandatory reporting procedures (both online and with the school’s management) are always followed as needed.

How is the effectiveness of the program measured and reported?

Three key outcome themes – Belonging, Being, Becoming – are the backbone of the programs and outcomes are measured against these. Pre-program surveys are completed by students and teachers. Post-program surveys are completed by students, parents and teachers. All survey data is used to measure outcomes. A full report is provided to the school upon completion of surveys and evaluations.
To learn more about the impact of all our programs, visit our Impact page. You can learn more about our impact across all our programs.

Are there opportunities for parental involvement or engagement in the program?

At the end of the program, the young men are asked if they would like to invite their parents or carers to attend their graduation. We also have a Supporters’ Program which gives parents and caregivers information about each workshop topic and some great question prompts to start a conversation with them about it. This helps take the conversations happening in the program back into the home, further reinforcing the learnings and connection.