At a time when many boys and young men feel conflicted about masculinity, one school is reshaping the conversation through positive role models, ethical leadership, and hands-on experiences that help boys better understand what healthy masculinity looks like.
In 2024, Matthew Flinders Anglican College, a leading independent school in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast region, developed an ethical leadership program for students in Years 10, 11 and 12 that was inspired by a simple mantra: See it to be it.
The bespoke program connects students with authentic, high-performing role models within the context of purposeful, experiential events to build skills in ethical leadership and better understand how to be role models of positive masculinity.
The College drew on a range of resources, including the work and advice of the Canadian NextGen Men Initiative, to create a program that could build our boys’ confidence; deepen their understanding of ethical leadership; and promote their capacity to serve as leaders and as role models of positive masculinity within and beyond the school community.
In 2026, the Leading Men at Flinders program will feature a series of mentoring experiences designed to challenge students beyond the classroom.
Highlights include a Year 12 ethical leadership retreat at a 3,000-hectare family-run farming property near Toowoomba, a guided tour of the Queensland Supreme Courts with Justice David Boddice, and a dinner connecting students with Flinders alumni mentors.
The program will culminate in a student-led Father’s Day breakfast, where participants, including the College Captain, will share personal reflections and key lessons from the initiative with parents, staff and the wider school community.
‘Masculinity is not inevitably toxic’
Dr Louise McCuaig, Head of the Flinders Discovery Institute and Leading Men at Flinders Program Leader, said the initiative is helping boys embrace leadership, confidence and a healthier view of masculinity.
“Our staff at Flinders consider it a true joy to work with the boys in our Leading Men program, with their quick wit, energetic physicality and passionate loyalty,” McCuaig told The Educator.
“The program has enabled the College to reinforce and authentically promote the understanding that masculinity is not inevitably toxic.”
McCuaig said the collaboration between the school’s teachers, students, parents, program mentors and the wider community has built “a robust experience that enhances our participants’ quest for excellence in both learning and life.”
“We have been delighted by the thoughtful feedback, respectful participation and energetic investment our young men have demonstrated each year,” she said.
“The annual Leading Men Father’s Day Breakfast event in September is organised by the students and enables our College Captain and members of the Leading Men program to present capstone speeches, sharing their learnings through the program.”
McCuaig said these presentations inspire many parents to leave the event “with pride in their sons and genuine faith in Australia’s future.”
McCuaig said it has been rewarding to see the number and diversity of Year 10 students who have expressed an interest in joining the program, well before they have been formally provided with information about the program in Year 11.
“Given one of the original motivators to launch the program was to encourage young men to put their hands up for leadership and personal development experiences, this groundswell of interest and enthusiasm for the program has been a key indicator of success,” she said.
“The program has also motivated more Year 11 boys to nominate for senior leadership positions across the school, with many of the Leading Men participants drawing on the inspiration and experiences of the program to justify their interest in becoming school leaders.”
Guiding boys towards healthier masculinity
The College has connected its boys with authentic role models who have collaborated with them in conversations, workshops, guided tours of the Supreme Courts and experiential multi-day camping retreats that challenge the elements of masculinity that cause harm to others and young men themselves.
Mentors include Queensland Supreme Court Judge Justice David Boddice, Squadron Leader Spencer Lavers, Steve Pocock, Adriaan De Villiers, Tom Healy, and Ash and Kirsty Butler.
“The College is explicit in noting we do not ask our Leading Men participants to be ‘the best’ but rather to invest in being ‘better men’,” McCuaig said.
“Together, staff, students and mentors agree: it is not about being perfect; it is ok to make mistakes; they each have the capacity to be better men; and we are “in it together” as teachers, students and role models.”
McCuaig said the aim is for boys to realise their potential to positively influence other young men in and beyond the College, adding that Leading Men is a program of “genuine investment in meeting young men where they are at”.
“We aim to provide them with a space to share their concerns and experiences, to listen to the stories and advice of role models and community leaders, and to engage in a range of action-oriented events that call upon them to ‘step up’ as ethical leaders,” she said.
“For example, participating in the two-day ethical leadership camp retreat experience on a working farm property and hosting the College’s annual Father’s Day Breakfast event.”
Why positive male role models matter for boys
McCuaig said one of the program’s biggest surprises was the profound impact it had on boys’ self-belief.
“Although we knew it would be important, we underestimated the power of selecting young men who may have thought they were not ‘destined to be school leaders’ and the significance of the intergenerational dimensions of the program,” she said.
“In short, our young men want to learn from, collaborate with and be inspired by and inspire other men. It has taken considerable effort to facilitate this multidirectional role modelling and support authentic engagement, but with enormous positive pay offs.”
McCuaig said the program’s impact was continuing to resonate well beyond students’ time in the classroom.
“We have been thrilled to observe the genuine excitement of our Year 11 students at the prospect of participating in the program,” she said. “We have also appreciated having graduates of the Leading Men program return to campus to attend the Leading Men Father's Day Breakfast.”
McCuaig said this demonstrated a desire by boys to stay connected to their mentees and contribute to the Leading Men activities in the years following their departure.
2025 Father’s Day speech from one of Flinders’ 2025 Leading Men participants:
“It’s been a privilege to be part of the Leading Men program. I still remember the moment I received that letter with the invitation — it was a mix of excitement and nerves. Excitement because it felt like an opportunity to be part of something bigger, and nerves because I knew it came with responsibility. But more than anything, it was a moment that made me feel seen, like others believed I had the potential to grow as a leader.”
A ‘thank you’ email from one student after Year 12 Leading Men Retreat:
“I want to extend a heartfelt thank you for all the organisation, care, and effort you put into the Leading Men retreat. It was an incredible experience, and it’s clear how much thought went into every part of it. What stood out were the powerful messages shared throughout the trip — hearing real stories about struggles, growth and the different pathways each person has taken in life was eye-opening. It reminded me that everyone’s journey is different, and that it's okay to face setbacks along the way. Those moments of honesty and reflection made the experience not just memorable but deeply meaningful.”
Excerpts from 2025 Leading Men participants in the Father’s Day speeches:
“I was lucky enough to be invited into the program at the beginning of Year 11 and it’s honestly been the highlight of my final school years.”
“The program is about giving young men at Flinders a voice, and the courage to use that voice. At this College, boys tend to take the backseat.”
“Too often, we let opportunities to speak, to step up or to lead pass us by. The Leading Men program is designed to change that – to place us in situations where we can’t just sit quietly, but have to step forward and let our leadership show.”
“Looking back, the Leading Men program gave me a clearer sense of the kind of person I want to be. It isn’t just about leading others, but also about leading myself in the right direction. I’d like to thank everyone who’s made this program possible.”
“It’s fun, challenging, inspiring, occasionally confusing, but never unforgettable.”
‘I am learning to stop pursuing perfectionism’
Reflections from 2026 Leading Men participants who attended a 2-day Ethical Leadership Retreat in April 2026:
“The Leading Men program covers the hot topics relevant to being a young man in today’s world…teaching us not to be confronted by the stereotypes around masculinity, but to embrace them and be masculine in a respectful and understanding way.”
“My take-away goal is to work on being able to tell the difference between something challenging and something that is a dead-end.”
“While the activities were fun, we also had eye-opening presentations and conversations with role models that were reassuring and helped me to refocus on what I need to do for myself moving forward.”
“The Leading Men retreat has motivated me to stop being so scared and anxious about everything so that I can get out more and do things that I want to try.”
“The Leading Men program gives us challenges that help us change our way of thinking and perspective, talking with people you usually don’t get to and being pushed outside of your comfort zone. I am grateful for the opportunity to be around great mentors and to explore different things that are good for the soul.”
“I am learning to stop pursuing perfectionism and forcing myself to have everything figured out at 18.”
“Leading Men has allowed me to immerse myself in the meaning and qualities of manhood, while reflecting on my triumphs and mistakes in the past surrounding leadership.
The networking and mateship built along the way has given me so much to lean on, and I hope we can chip away at breaking down adolescent male stereotypes.”
“My goals are to stop laughing at mates who say something morally questionable and start telling my mates I love them more and support them.”
“Leading Men has given me access to many knowledgeable connections and mentors who I can turn to when I feel lost.”
“Leading Men has allowed me to meet really inspiring men who have been through a lot of similar life experiences as us and are encouraging us not to make the same mistakes they did.”
“I feel blessed and honoured to be a part of this program and a sense of responsibility now to lead others to be better men and people.”
“The program has been a great opportunity for young men to be in a tight-knit group where we can react to each other and genuinely know that we don’t have to go through life alone.”
Primary Inspiration and resource that guided the content and structure of the program-from NextGen Men
