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A movement, not a moment

Positive Masculinity International Conference 2023

Engaging boys and improving their life outcomes through connection, authenticity and motivation

1 September, 2023 Melbourne Convention Centre, 1 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf
Attendee information

The Goals

The Positive Masculinity Conference aims to promote positive practices that encourage connection, authenticity, and motivation in boys and young men. Attendees will learn from influential speakers about how to engage boys in creating a more equitable society, breaking gender stereotypes, with evidence-informed strategies for schools, sports teams, community groups, and workplaces.

Our goal is to create a space for meaningful conversations, keynote presentations and breakout sessions about the challenges facing boys and men in our society, and to foster a more inclusive and empowering vision of masculinity. In working together we can inspire positive change and create a more gender equitable and inclusive future.

Conference snapshot

Experience the power of positive masculinity at our groundbreaking conference. Discover how embracing positive masculinity can lead to stronger communities, healthier individuals, and a more inclusive society.

The Conference

We believe that each one of us plays a pivotal role in shaping young minds and fostering a healthier understanding of masculinity. If you are responsible for boys, teaching, coaching, providing care and working with boys, you will already know about the unique challenges they present in ways to manage their engagement and behaviour. You may also know a few things that work, but understand a lot doesn’t work and we need more approaches that we can apply to improving engagement, social connectedness, respect, and behaviour.

By attending the +M conference, you will learn evidence-informed processes of how to engage the boys and young men you work with, how to build their social fitness, and come to understand the causes of behaviour issues. Whether this be in a classroom, in a pastoral or counselling setting or in coaching a sporting team, the principles and practices discussed will give you a toolkit to work with.

See the schedule

Key Topics

Promoting positive and healthy masculinities

Creating a space for meaningful conversations

Examining the challenges facing men and boys

Strategies to foster a more inclusive and empowering vision of masculinity

Understanding how to create a more gender equitable inclusive future

Breaking through gender stereotypes

Key speakers

Dr Ray Swann

Professor Matt Englar-Carlson

Dr Kylie King

Professor Nathan Lawrentschuk

Professor Dean Lusher

Dr Ray Swann

Professor Matt Englar-Carlson

Dr Kylie King

Professor Nathan Lawrentschuk

Professor Dean Lusher

Dr Ray Swann

Professor Matt Englar-Carlson

Dr Kylie King

Professor Nathan Lawrentschuk

Professor Dean Lusher

Dr Ray Swann, Executive Director of Foundation for Positive Masculinity, is an honorary fellow at the University of Melbourne. He leads change in wellbeing programs and evidence-informed practice with experience across government, independent, and single-gender schools.

Dr Matt Englar-Carlson, PhD, is a professor of counselling and the Director of the Center for Boys and Men at California State University, Fullerton. His work focuses on educating and training professionals about male mental health needs as well as how to work more effectively with boys and men.

Dr Kylie King, is a Senior Research Fellow at the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health at Monash University. She has a decorated career as a psychologist, with her work centered around developing, implementing and evaluating interventions that can have positive impacts on men’s mental health and suicide prevention.

Professor Nathan Lawrentschuk is the Director of The Royal Melbourne Hospital Department of Urology, founding Director of the EJ Whitten Prostate Cancer Research Centre at Epworth Hospital and a Urologic Oncologist in the Division of Cancer Surgery at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

Dean Lusher is social network analysist and a Professor of Innovation Studies at Swinburne’s Centre for Transformative Innovation. Dean’s applied research focuses on social and technological innovation, organisational culture, learning and education, and network effectiveness. Dean has conducted social network research with the AFL, Boeing, CSIRO, DHHS Victoria, VicHealth and a variety of schools and community groups.

Dr Ray Swann, Executive Director of Foundation for Positive Masculinity, is an honorary fellow at the University of Melbourne. He leads change in wellbeing programs and evidence-informed practice with experience across government, independent, and single-gender schools.

Dr Matt Englar-Carlson, PhD, is a professor of counselling and the Director of the Center for Boys and Men at California State University, Fullerton. His work focuses on educating and training professionals about male mental health needs as well as how to work more effectively with boys and men.

Dr Kylie King, is a Senior Research Fellow at the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health at Monash University. She has a decorated career as a psychologist, with her work centered around developing, implementing and evaluating interventions that can have positive impacts on men’s mental health and suicide prevention.

Professor Nathan Lawrentschuk is the Director of The Royal Melbourne Hospital Department of Urology, founding Director of the EJ Whitten Prostate Cancer Research Centre at Epworth Hospital and a Urologic Oncologist in the Division of Cancer Surgery at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

Dean Lusher is social network analysist and a Professor of Innovation Studies at Swinburne’s Centre for Transformative Innovation. Dean’s applied research focuses on social and technological innovation, organisational culture, learning and education, and network effectiveness. Dean has conducted social network research with the AFL, Boeing, CSIRO, DHHS Victoria, VicHealth and a variety of schools and community groups.

Dr Ray Swann, Executive Director of Foundation for Positive Masculinity, is an honorary fellow at the University of Melbourne. He leads change in wellbeing programs and evidence-informed practice with experience across government, independent, and single-gender schools.

Dr Matt Englar-Carlson, PhD, is a professor of counselling and the Director of the Center for Boys and Men at California State University, Fullerton. His work focuses on educating and training professionals about male mental health needs as well as how to work more effectively with boys and men.

Dr Kylie King, is a Senior Research Fellow at the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health at Monash University. She has a decorated career as a psychologist, with her work centered around developing, implementing and evaluating interventions that can have positive impacts on men’s mental health and suicide prevention.

Professor Nathan Lawrentschuk is the Director of The Royal Melbourne Hospital Department of Urology, founding Director of the EJ Whitten Prostate Cancer Research Centre at Epworth Hospital and a Urologic Oncologist in the Division of Cancer Surgery at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

Dean Lusher is social network analysist and a Professor of Innovation Studies at Swinburne’s Centre for Transformative Innovation. Dean’s applied research focuses on social and technological innovation, organisational culture, learning and education, and network effectiveness. Dean has conducted social network research with the AFL, Boeing, CSIRO, DHHS Victoria, VicHealth and a variety of schools and community groups.

Conference schedule

See our schedule with inspiring and informative keynotes. Attendees and participants will gain valuable insights and enjoy an immersive learning experience.

See the schedule

Who will attend?

Professionals, experts in psychology, men’s health practitioners, educators and leaders of boys, wellbeing coordinators, outdoor education leaders, year level coordinators, primary and secondary school teachers, teacher assistants, student leaders, coaches, parents and anyone ready to create a new narrative for raising healthy boys.

Guest information

Venue

The Positive Masculinity International Conference 2023 will be held at the Melbourne Conference and Exhibition Centre. 

Date: Friday 1 September 2023
Time: 9.00am – 4.00pm
Cost: AUD$440
Catering: Refreshments and lunch is provided

Flying in from interstate?  Contact your local Helloworld Travel agent to book your flights and accommodation.

Directions to MCEC

A movement, not a moment

We are excited to invite you to the first Positive Masculinity Conference in Melbourne on 1 September 2023. By attending the Positive Masculinity Conference, you'll be a part of a movement to create a better future with better health and life outcomes for boys and young men.

Questions about the conference?

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