2024 HIM International Men's Day
Healthier Illawarra Men Announces Major Initiatives for International Men’s Day 2024
Healthier Illawarra Men is proud to celebrate International Men’s Day 2024 with the announcement of two transformative initiatives aimed at fostering healthier, more supportive communities for men and boys across the Illawarra.
As part of our ongoing mission to empower men to lead healthier lives, we are thrilled to announce the rollout of Tomorrow Man workshops in schools, workplaces, and community organisations across the Illawarra in early 2025. Supported by the Shellharbour Club through Club Grants, these workshops target boys aged 14–18, their teachers, and parents, as well as men in sporting clubs and workplaces. The program explores how participants can care for themselves, their mates, and their families while redefining modern masculinity.
“These workshops are a fantastic opportunity for young men to challenge stereotypes, build resilience, and carve out their own positive path,” said Mark Sleigh, Chair of Healthier Illawarra Men. “We encourage any community or sporting organisation with young men who may benefit from this training to reach out to us and be part of this transformational program.”
Alongside this initiative, we are launching the "It Starts With Me. Today." campaign, developed in collaboration with Women Illawarra. This campaign challenges men to be upstanders, not bystanders, by calling out unhealthy behaviours among peers, family, and friends. By fostering open conversations and setting new standards, the campaign aims to actively address domestic violence rates in our community.
Healthier Illawarra Men is also proud to announce funding for four outstanding organisations making a difference in men’s health and well-being:
Raising the Bar Foundation
Top Blokes Foundation
Southcoast Lifeline
The Man Walk
These organisations will receive vital funding to support their impactful work in mental health, mentorship, and community engagement across the region.
“We are excited to support these initiatives and organisations as they align with our vision for a healthier, more connected community,” Mr Sleigh said.
2024 HIM International Men's Day social gallery
2023 HIM International Men's Day
Seven charity organisations will benefit from funds raised by Healthier Illawarra Men’s 2023 International Men’s Day Lunch.
HIM chair Mark Sleigh made the announcement at the sold lunch to over 350 attendees at the Notovel Wollongong Northbeach Ballroom on Friday.
The seven organisations who will each receive a portion of funds raised from the event are: Escabags, The Man Walk, Raising the Bar Foundation (formerly Barstool Brothers), What Were You Wearing?, Lifeline South Coast, the Top Blokes Foundation and the Gawura Aboriginal Corporation.
“We recently ran a grants application round and the seven successful applicants were all deemed worthy recipients,” Mr Sleigh said.
“Each of the seven organisations do work which fits in with the charter of HIM, which is to support local programs supporting the betterment of men’s health or supporting the victims of domestic violence.”
“Our mission at HIM is to empower men to make positive choices for their physical and mental health, and to provide them with the resources and support necessary to lead healthier lives.
“In turn, we aim to make our community stronger.”
All funds raised by HIM are directed back into programs run specifically for this region.
Life advocate and shark attack survivor Brett Connellan was the special guest speaker, delivering an enthralliong presentation about making the most of your "second life" moment.
It was also revealed at the lunch the next HIM function would be the Healthier Illawarra Men Classic Race Day at Kembla Grange on March 15, 2024.
2022 Gotcha4Life Mateship Miles Brunch
On Friday, April 22, a full house gathered at the Novotel Wollongong Northbeach ballroom for the Gotcha4Life Mateship Miles Brunch, the first even for the reinvigorated HIM committee.
Thanks to the generous support of attendees and our sponsors we raised a total of $34,237.55, all of which will be spent in providing mental fitness training in the local region.
Healthier Illawarra Men convened in 2020 to institute a major event in the Illawarra calendar - bringing men’s health issues to the fore.
COVID was a challenge and, after three false starts, we managed to quickly organise the Mateship Miles Brunch to coincide with Gus Worland and Karl Stefanovic being in Wollongong for their Mateship Miles Walk.
The event had a short lead time and we were a little anxious about whether we could pull it off before we met Gus Worland.
We are particularly proud that through this first event we facilitated local corporates purchasing 54 tickets for individuals less fortunate than ourselves to attend and be part of something they otherwise would not have been able to afford. It is part of our DNA now that we aim to provide no less than 20% of our tickets on a pay it forward basis for our local community.
2022 HIM International Men's Day Event with Alex Volkanovski
]=International Men’s Day (IMD) is celebrated on November 19 every year and is marked in around 80 countries worldwide.
Some people ask why we need an International Men’s Day? In Australia, IMD is a great opportunity to take part in a global conversation about manhood, masculinity and men’s issues by:
• Highlighting some of the social issues that men and boys face;
• Making a difference for the men and boys in your community;
• Celebrating men and boys in all their diversity;
• Having some serious fun in the process.
On Friday, November 25, a full house packed out the Premier's Room at the WIN Entertainment Centre for the first HIM International Men's Day event.
Speaking at a local event for the first time, Wollongong’s own UFC World Featherweight Champion Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski was the headliner of the event and shared his story with interviewer, Fox Sport's Matt Russell.
The day, hosted by WIN TV's Bruce Roberts, also featured a presentation by Gotcha4Life founder Gus Worland and a panel discussion on men's health with Dr Bruce Ashford and Melissa Abu-Gazaleh.
The event raised over $45,000, which was dispersed to our beneficiary organisations. You can read more about our beneficiaries here.
2022 International Men's Day social gallery
