Close to 500 men across the West of Melbourne and Victoria have been learning about different aspects of their health, getting active and making new connections with those in their community, thanks to the 2023 edition of the Sons of the West program.
In its ninth year, the program run by the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation is being delivered across 14 different sites in conjunction with local council and community partners, including three sites targeted at Vietnamese, Syriac and African-Australian cohorts.
Across the first seven weeks of the ten-week program, participants have gained knowledge from an array of subject matter experts on topics such as cancer awareness, mental fitness, gender equity, and healthy eating. This content is delivered in an engaging and interactive way to ensure the often hard to talk about and misunderstood topics are destigmatised for the men participating in the program.
Senior Health Promotion Coordinator at the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation, Naomi Fitzgerald said the participants in this years’ program have benefited greatly from the array of different education topics.
“Each year we aim to empower our participants to take control of their health and wellbeing by providing them with not only the knowledge of how to best look after themselves but introduce them to resources and local services to help continue to support their journey.”
One topic that has been particularly beneficial to participants is hearing firsthand about the experiences of other men in the ‘lived experience’ sessions. One such example of this is Community Foundation Ambassador and Western Bulldogs Premiership Player Tom Boyd, sharing his mental health journey with participants at the Newport site.
“These sessions allow participants to empathise and at times recognise themselves or a loved one within the experience of the speaker. In doing so, it helps to break down barriers and makes participants feel comfortable to ask questions,” said Fitzgerald.
As well as education topics, men in the program have been supported to engage in physical activity at a level suited to their ability. From simple stretching and mobility exercises to boxing sessions delivered by exercise professionals, all participants are able to get moving in a supportive, judgment free environment.
Fitzgerald said the exercise aspect of the program also provides a great social opportunity for those participating.
“The exercise part of the program, although can seem daunting for some, is a great way for the men to get active but further cerement friendships they’ve created. Many of our participants have started to meet up outside of the program in walking or fitness groups to continue to motivate each other.”
Over the next three weeks participants will hear from the Community Foundation’s Major Partner, WorkSafe Victoria on the topic of Work-Related Gendered Violence, before celebrating their graduation from the program with a ceremony in front of friends and family upon completion of 10 weeks of the initiative.
The Sons of the West program is made possible thanks to the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation’s Major Partner, WorkSafe Victoria and program partners Victorian State Government, cohealth and Watergardens, as well as our local delivery partners who support the mainstream and culturally diverse sites. Our culturally diverse sites are also supported by Victoria University and Movember.
