19/11/2025
International Men’s Day 💙
Mentors and role models matter for our boys
In Australia, autism is identified more often in males, and the rate is highest in school years.
Around 4.3% of children aged 5 to 14 are autistic, compared with 1.1 percent of the population overall. That means many boys are navigating big feelings, school transitions and identity early. (Australian Bureau of Statistics)
School can be tough. National advocacy data show three in four students with disability were bullied or excluded in 2024. That kind of isolation chips away at confidence and belonging unless there are protective adults and peers around them.
Mental health risk is real. Australian research led by the University of Queensland found autistic people are almost three times more likely to die by su***de than non autistic peers. Every steady mentor and emotionally safe role model becomes a buffer.
News
Why begin young, from about age four Parents can seed healthy routines early. Boys learn self regulation by practising with calm, caring adults. They copy what they see. Simple weekly contact with a trusted adult builds language for feelings, problem solving, and a sense of being valued. Over time that becomes resilience.
What helps in everyday life
🌿 Regular time in nature for movement and sensory regulation
🤝 One trusted mentor plus a small circle of supportive adults
🗓 Predictable routines with choices that build agency
🎯 Strengths based activities that grow real world confidence
If you are a parent, coach, uncle, aunty, teacher or neighbour, your steady presence matters more than you think. Be the person a boy can count on today.
