There are Facebook pages and groups for just about every topic that you can imagine. From lawn care to blokes who dress us as Lord Of The Rings characters, Facebook communities are being used to connect people with common interests the world over. With 3 billion users on Facebook, a handful of these groups can reach into the hundreds of thousands and Blokes Advice is arguably one of the most successful stories our country has ever produced.
BA is a Facebook group which covers all ‘bloke’ topics, from sports, cars, girls and the trials these men are facing in life. Created in 2016, Blokes Advice now has almost 300,000 members in the private group, and hundreds of thousands of followers across other platforms. Gaining notoriety for being a ‘blokes club’ with what could be ‘anti-woke’ content, Blokes Advice has experienced blow-back through traditional media outlets & individuals with opposing views. Despite external pressures, the group has flourished for one reason, and one reason only, by building a true community.
We are now the biggest men-only group in Australia
Taking the topic of ‘the black dog’ out of the shadows, BA regularly see’s men call on the advice of other members for issues related to depression, anxieties, family affairs or PTSD - just to name a few. We’ve created a safe space to, as the name suggests, seek advice without the stigma men face when addressing these topics. On two separate occasions, the team embarked on a tour around Australia hosting member meets as an effort to connect the online community and their families in real life, under the banner of mental health awareness. For International Mens Day 2023, Blokes Advice teamed up with other grassroots organisations to lay a shoe for each man that took his own life on the lawns of Parliament House in Canberra, which generated millions of views about the understated epidemic on male suicide.
At the end of the day, it’s all about creating a network where a bloke can find another bloke (or thousands of them), who can give them the advice they are seeking. That said, Blokes Advice as an organisation has managed to do a whole bunch of things we are very proud of. Just to name a few…
Raised hundred of thousands of dollars for:
- Ongoing treatment, comforting, last wishes and funeral of a baby boy who had battled cancer for the majority of his tragically short life.
- Reuniting a brother suffering from severe mental health issues with his family on the other side of the country, ultimately saving his life.
- Unfortunately, another two babies funerals - all expenses paid.
- Stress-less funding for members with, or fathers of kids with, disabilities.
- Ran Christmas toy-drives
- Donated $26 000 to the Mens Shed for their great work offline.
Outside of the cash, there are a few other notable achievements we are proud of:
- Laid 2500 Shoes on the lawns of Parliament House to represent the men who took their own lives last year, in collaboration with other grassroots organisations.
- As a group, given over 15 000 blood/plasma donations via our LifeBlood Team
- Organising a wedding within 72 hours
- Reunited countless long-lost families
- Generated millions of views for suicide prevention & awareness
- Met with influential members of parliament and local counsellors about the issues our members face
We’ve always been true to what we think is right, funny, or the way things should be - and we are more than happy for you to jog on if you don’t like it. The brand is one with the group, which has lead onto all the merch that is being used to help you be recognised as a member outside of the digital world.
A culture has formed around this. If you see a man in a Blokes Advice shirt, the group rule is you buy him a beer and have a chat, further fostering connection between members. Same goes for the car stickers - give the bloke a toot & a wave when you’re on the road, or leave a coldie on his car for his return!
Head over to the Blokes Advice Facebook Group and share it with over 1/4 million Aussie guys. It's 100% male, and a private group so brace yourself for some old fashion banter, laughs, and the help a fellow bloke out from time to time.
