Lift the Load has officially come to an end. Through the month of October for Mental Health Month, we raised a total of $548,000 for young men across Australia – our biggest challenge year yet.
Thanks to your support, an additional 500 young men will have now access to the Top Blokes program in the upcoming year. This means more opportunities for our youth to receive tailored mentorship and tools for building resilience, empathy, and emotional strength. Our team is better equipped than ever to deliver impactful mental health and wellbeing programs that make a real difference in the lives of young men and their communities.
Every Lift the Load has a story
What makes Lift the Load truly special is the power of personal stories behind every contribution. Each participant carries a unique narrative—stories of grief, resilience, hope, and an unwavering desire for a brighter future for young men and those they care about. These stories have united nearly 2,000 people from different backgrounds, all sharing a common goal: advocating for better mental health outcomes for young males.
Top Blokes Youth Worker, Dave, spent time connecting with many who joined this year’s challenge. Through their conversations, Dave discovered not only the motivations but the heartfelt moments that fuel this movement. Here’s a reflection from Dave on these inspiring encounters:
“I had multiple conversations on multiple days (especially early on when asking for people’s motivations for doing the challenge) with participants who had experienced the loss of a family member or a friend. Sadly for some, multiple family members and friends.
One Dad, in particular from Penrith, wept with me as he shared that he was walking to remember his son, who tragically took his life only 12 months ago. I shared both empathy and pride for his choice to use such tragedy to do something so positive for others.
The number of people who had experienced either direct trauma or vicarious trauma from suicide really shocked me in the first couple of weeks.
The beautiful and hopeful thing was however, the amount of empathy, compassion and determination expressed to be a part of the solution instead of the problem. It warmed my heart. Another common theme was ex-servicemen and women and emergency service workers who had or were experiencing PTSD, anxiety, and depression. They all knew the journey and how imperative early awareness and intervention is.
Then there were others including the fitness fanatics and those who had participated previously and loved it so much that they grabbed others and formed a team this year.
Many did solos too.
Some ran it in a day, others climbed mountains, wore the vest to work, to gym and even some mum’s around the house. One guy, Tim, was even going to wear a unicorn costume while doing the challenge! A young fella near Tamworth was doing a morning mountain walk with his community with a BBQ at the end. On the last day of calls, I spoke with a fella, Charlie, who was also doing a BBQ for around 250 employees to raise funds.
Parents with boys were particularly keen to get on board for obvious reasons.
There were some participants who signed up and unfortunately had encountered illness or injuries that either limited or stopped their participation. The conversations were very real about the connection between both physical and mental challenges and setbacks and how valuable the sense of connection was even through a phone call.
To sum the experience up for me personally, it was a Lifting of a Load of sorts experience for me. Some (though very few) phone calls were met with dry and disinterested feedback. One fella shared how pissed off he was at the lack of care and support from his mates when doing the challenge. Some people shared a lot and I showed them compassion and helped reframe to make sure they had support. Leaving voicemail after voicemail was tiring some days, but the anticipation of someone picking up or the sharing of a story kept me going.
What an amazing response from people of all walks of life. I am so grateful to have been a part of it. The Lift the Load community created and expressed throughout the month to me was nothing short of INSPIRATIONAL.
To top it off, my daughter and son-in-law participated as well. I even called my son-in-law from one of my lists to encourage him.”
– Dave, Top Blokes Youth Worker
Thanks for sharing with us Dave.
How to help a mate
We can all get down, sad and anxious from time to time. Sometimes, our emotions take over, and we can feel angry, depressed, lonely. If you notice changes in your friend, how can you help Lift the Load for them?
We asked Top Blokes ambassador, parent expert and leading child psychologist Dr. Justin Coulson to share some practical advice on how we can lead with empathy and support our mates.
Why we keep lifting
At the heart of Lift the Load is the belief that no young man should face his battles alone. The funds raised enable us to deliver not just programs but lifelines—safe spaces where young men are heard, supported, and empowered to thrive.
To everyone who contributed, participated, or spread the word: thank you. You are the reason we can continue to nurture resilience, foster empathy, and build strong, connected communities. Your support is shaping a future where every young man can navigate life’s challenges with confidence and hope.
Keen to sign up for 2025? You register now.
