Dayne Bockman’s journey to Training and Development Lead at Top Blokes is a story of personal resilience and dedication to fostering change within. With a background as a case manager for young people with complex needs, Dayne experienced firsthand the challenges of inadequate support systems in his local community.
Frustrated but motivated, Dayne found his calling at Top Blokes. After exploring Top Blokes as a support for the young men he was working with as a case manager, it was a powerful video on Top Bloke’s website that ultimately swayed him to join the youth mental health charity. The video shared the story of a young man who had benefited profoundly from his experience in Top Blokes. ” I saw the learning, the growth. This guy was now engaging in school, he was achieving new goals. It brought me to tears, and I knew this was where I wanted to be,” Dayne recalls.
We sit down with Dayne and discover how his background has shaped his determination, passion and care for others and where he sees the future for Top Blokes.
Tell us a bit about your past and how that has influenced your approach to working with young people?
Growing up, I faced a world of contrasts. I grew up in housing commission. My parents were going through a separation. We struggled financially. I did well at school and was awarded a 100% scholarship to a private school, which was an amazing opportunity. But I was suddenly exposed to all this opportunity and opulence, noticing the disparity between my neighbourhood, with all its disadvantages and marginalisation.
For me, the experience highlighted the inequalities between the two worlds I was in. I couldn’t understand why the kids on my street couldn’t read or write but the people I was at school with could have anything they wanted. This inequality was defined for me at a really young age.
Between the ages of 14 to 25, I went down a challenging path. I struggled with my identity living in two vastly different worlds but ended up idolising the wrong figures. I was making bad decisions regularly, getting into fights and eventually faced severe consequences. I’d gone down a path of addiction and crime and ended up in jail.
I’d spent over a decade struggling to make the most of the opportunities I had been given because I was too afraid to fail. But then I became a failure.
It was through those personal failures and a commitment to turning my life around that I found my passion for community services and fitness, which ultimately led me to coaching, mentoring and youth work. When it comes to adversity you can easily sit in a ‘poor me, this sucks’ mentality. Or you think about how you can be better and do better for those around you.
What do you find most rewarding about your work with Top Blokes?
I’ve always believed that we have control over our futures. But I also know what it’s like to hit rock bottom. Now I get to empower young people to make decisions – to change the way they think. It’s about helping them see that they can shape their own future, no matter what hand they are dealt.
Tell us why training and development is a key focus of our work at Top Blokes?
We are working with young men who all have their own unique thoughts and needs. It takes real skill and consistent messages to help young men break out of the stereotypes. Helping our team create a safe space where we listen without judgement and people are free to express themselves; when we get that right, we really do get the best out of the boys we work with.
When you work in community services or youth work, it can take a heavy toll. Top Blokes creates a workplace where we can lean on each other, where there is room for growth and reflection, and where there is real and meaningful value in having the team feel supported. Training and development for our team are key to making sure that we are doing the best we can for each other and the young men we work with.
Can you share a memorable success story or impactful moment you’ve had while working with a young person here?
I’ve worked with young people experiencing homelessness and in refuges when parents have kicked their kids out of home. Witnessing the family dynamic breakdown is tough and heartbreaking. So, when I hear a parent’s feedback from Top Blokes, it shows me the far-reaching impact of our work. We are making a real difference at home for those kids, for their families and their communities.
One of those standout moments was at a graduation ceremony when a father thanked us for reconnecting him with his son. It was a powerful reminder of our program’s impact. It was a shock to hear this young man’s dad share that he had been worried about him. Grades were slipping, and this kid was vaping, dropping out of sports, and missing school. On the program, this young man was a standout participant, in all the right ways, and it just goes to show you never know what’s happening for people behind closed doors.
Thanks to the messages we sent through the Top Blokes Supporters program, his dad got a little hint on how to start a conversation—particularly about some of the harder-to-talk-about topics. Hearing how our work helped foster these critical conversations and rebuild relationships was incredibly rewarding. This young man went on to become an ambassador for Top Blokes, he got back into sports, into school and started chasing his goals again.
What do you love most about your job?
I thrive under pressure and love curating our programs and campaigns. I thoroughly enjoy the collaborative environment at Top Blokes. We continually learn from each other—and from everyone—so we can better support the young men we work with. Every voice in the team is valued.
When you are not in the classroom running TBF programs, where can we find you?
Most of my downtime is spent with my family or outdoors. My young daughter keeps me active, and we enjoy watching NRL games together. I also like to go to the gym and be in nature – it helps me recharge.
How do you see the future of Top Blokes and what are your aspirations for the organisation?
I’d love to see us all over Australia, embedded in every area we are in—in every school within that community.
Being part of the local community is key to supporting the young men we work with. We live and work in their area and we know what’s going on for them.
No matter how big Top Blokes gets, we will always maintain a grassroots feel and stay true to ourselves.
What advice would you give your high school self?
Listen more and be okay with failure. Failure is where we learn, and that is where we grow. I’d tell myself, “If you don’t shoot, you don’t score. Just go for it!”
Dayne Bockman’s journey from overcoming personal adversity to leading training and development at Top Blokes illustrates the power of resilience and changing perspective. His story motivates those he mentors and inspires anyone facing their own battles, proving that, with the right determination, you can be the change and lead your future.
