Helping men find their inner voice

#Talk2mebro
Inspiring. Dedicated. Influencer
Luke Conners joined the army at the age of 17. Now he is serving on the home front, helping men of all ages to speak about their emotions and mental health.

In 2019 Luke started Talk2mebro in the Newcastle and surrounding areas with the goal to end suicide. He is changing men's lives through his work at seminars, retreats, schools, businesses and sports clubs.

The charity focuses on emotional resilience and suicide prevention, passing on the tools and skills to support others without judgment.

So far, Luke has reached more than 8000 Novocastrians through the different programs they offer.

Luke’s passion for Talk2mebro was inspired by the memory of Matt, a corporal who took Luke under his wing when he was a young Digger but who later took his own life.

A testimony to Luke's drive is that he managed to engage with about 3000 people face to face during COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.

With max 20 people allowed in a group, he organised close to 150 sessions of 90 minutes. .

Luke feels great pride to be nominated as a Westfield Local Hero. "It gives me reassurance we are doing the right things in the community. That energises me to keep going, keep pursuing our mission to make suicide a thing of the past."

Westfield Local Heroes are nominated and voted for by their communities, with the three top finalists per Westfield centre each awarded a $10,000 grant for their affiliated organisation. Talk2mebro will use its funds to train more facilitators, subsidise the cost of programs for those who can't afford it and keep spreading Talk2mebro’s message far and wide.

If you need support, go to Talk2mebro or phone Lifeline: 13 11 14

For further information on the Westfield Local Heroes program, click here