Leading Men at Flinders Support Positive Masculinity

Note: Read the industry write-up on the 'Flinders Leading Men' program in The Educator magazine, published Tuesday, 10 September here.

A new program at Matthew Flinders Anglican College on the Sunshine Coast is inspiring young men to step up as leaders and create a healthier version of masculinity.

The 'Leading Men at Flinders' program designed for boys from Years 10 to 12 aims to build boys’ awareness, skills and capacity to serve as positive role models.

The program addresses concerns in society about ‘toxic masculinity’, violence, matters of consent and respectful relationships.

College Principal Michelle Carroll said the bespoke program was based on leading research that recognises the importance of leadership skills and having positive role models to the healthy development of young men.

“There is no doubt that boys are navigating complex times and that schools must play a proactive, positive role in guiding them through,” Ms Carroll said.

“At Flinders, we are determined to support all students in learning how to lead their own lives in healthy ways while contributing respectfully to society,” she said.

“The Leading Men at Flinders initiative empowers our boys to ‘stand out from the crowd’ in positive ways so they can grow as connected, caring and motivated young men.”

How the Program Works

The Leading Men at Flinders program provides authentic events, mentoring by inspiring role models and leadership experiences for boys to:

build their confidence
deepen their understanding of ethical leadership, and
promote their capacity to serve as role models of positive masculinity.

The program is guided by Dr Louise McCuaig, the Head of the Flinders Discovery Institute, along with Mr Duncan Greenbank, the Head of Senior School and Mr Gary Davis, the Head of Studies.

Dr Louise McCuaig said, “At Flinders, we consider it a true joy to work with teenage boys, with their quick wit, quizzical silences, energetic physicality and passionate loyalty.

“We firmly believe that masculinity is not toxic, but as a College we recognise the critical role we must play in supporting gender equality while empowering young men to grow and contribute in respectful ways.

“The research reveals there is a marked reticence amongst boys to get involved and lead, so we are committed to building opportunities at Flinders for our boys to learn from positive role models and be courageous in guiding each other with care.

“The College is grateful to the Honourable Justice David Boddice who has acted as the program ‘Champion’ to mentor the students at three Leading Men events this year, including a recent Father’s Day breakfast event where he shared insights from the Supreme Courts on how to support young men's wellbeing and future success.”

The Honourable Justice David Boddice was appointed a judge of the Queensland Court of Appeal in 2023 and prior, spent almost 13 years as a Justice of the Supreme Court.

The Leading Men at Flinders events include:

Father's Day Breakfast Event - 29 August
Justice Boddice spoke at the Leading Men Father’s Day Breakfast on Thursday, 29 August to inspire fathers and carers of boys to support their young men through adolescence and beyond. There were also inspiring capstone speeches by two of the Year 12 Leading Men students at Flinders, Tom and Jaylan, and a closing address by Mr Duncan Greenbank, Head of Senior School.

Mentoring with Justice Boddice - 26 April
Earlier in the year, the Leading Men program hosted a unique mentoring session for 12 students in Year 12 with Justice Boddice on campus at Flinders.

Justice Boddice and the students explored the issues facing young men who are dealt with in the courts, the myths associated with violence amongst young men and the role that male leaders can play in addressing these challenges.

Guided Tour of the Supreme Courts - 21 May
The students then joined Judge Boddice for a guided tour through the Supreme Courts in Brisbane as a real-world learning experience.

Dinner Event with Academics as Guest Speakers, University of Queensland - 21 May
After the tour, the Flinders students and staff were hosted at the University of Queensland by academics Professor Tim Carroll, Dr Stephen Townsend and Dr Dillon Landi who shared their perspectives on positive masculinity and explored issues the boys raised through questions.

Perspectives from the Boys and the Media: Why and how to step up as positive leaders

The Leading Men program also invites Year 12 students at Flinders to step into leadership roles to support their younger peers in learning about ethical leadership and the value of becoming respectful role models.

The Leading Men Breakfast featured inspiring capstone speeches by two of the Year 12 Leading Men students at Flinders, Tom B and Jaylan T.

Dr McCuaig said, “As educators at Flinders, we have been delighted by the thoughtful feedback, respectful participation and energetic investment our boys have demonstrated during our Leading Men events.

“At the Father's Day Breakfast, it was wonderful to have Tom and Jay step up courageously to share the life lessons from their fathers and role models about being a male and also how their understanding of positive masculinity had grown through the program.”

In his speech, Tom unpacked how emotions are central to positive masculinity and acknowledged the value in dealing with them in a way that’s healthy. He called on fathers to help their sons with that challenge.

Jaylan, in his speech, noted the boys had learnt from Dr Stephen Townsend at the University of Queensland that masculinity remains positive when it is grounded in ‘care’. So, whether the boys are showing physical strength, confidence or being stoic, Jay explained it is a positive expression of masculinity when underpinned by care - for themselves and others.

A few days after the Leading Men Breakfast at Flinders, The Weekend Australian published an article by Associate Editor, Helen Trinca titled, 'Fragile masculinity in a new and androgynous world".

Trinca quoted British-American researcher Richard Reeves who in 2022 published his book, “Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It.”

In the article, Reeves noted: “...masculinity doesn’t invent itself. And so if we think it needs to be to some extent created, then we need to do some of the creating, and not leave that to the people who are online.”

Dr McCuaig was encouraged by these words, as it confirmed the value and timeliness of the Leading Men at Flinders program.

The College encourages parents to learn tips and key messages through quality resources, such as the Next Gen article titled, ‘10 Ways Parents Can Show Up for Boys’ Mental Health’.