Courage
beyond
the paint.
A partnership to strengthen boys, fathers, and the environments that shape them.
Building the next generation of grounded young men.
This isn’t just
something I run.
It’s somethingI’ve lived.
- +Grew up through the elite football pathway
- +Drafted to Hawthorn at 18… then delisted twelve months later
- +Built a ten-year career at Glenelg Football Club
- +The emotional toll after the passing of my father
I know pressure. I know chasing approval. I know what happens when identity becomes performance.
Two decades working across education, mental health and elite sport showed me something simple — what boys need most is a foundation of consistent, healthy male connection. That’s why I created Courage Beyond the Paint.
There has never
been a more
complex time
to be a young man.
Boys are being shaped by algorithms, influencers, online narratives of masculinity, and constant comparison.
Build rooms boys want
to come back to.
We need to create the healthy environments that our boys want to keep coming back to.
They’re developmentally immature, eyes wide open, absorbing everything in their environment — asking who am I, what am I becoming, what does it even mean to be a man.
And too often, the answer is being shaped by uninitiated men online who profit from their attention.
- +Anxiety
- +Low self-esteem
- +Disconnection
- +Turning to social media instead of real-world support
Boys are flooded
with content
and starved
of real connection.
Identity becomes fragile
Emotions get suppressed
Pressure builds
Boys withdraw or act out
When connection is missing, when male leadership and guidance isn’t present, this is what fills the gap.
The numbers behind
why we built this.
The foundation of a boy’s wellbeing is built through connection with the men around him. Sporting clubs are one of the last great gathering places of men in Australia. When we build connected families and connected clubs, the fabric of community strengthens.
- +Identity
- +Emotional regulation
- +Values
- +Confidence
- +Belonging
- +Sense of self
Without that, boys look elsewhere.
This is where clubs
can lead.
Not just in performance — but in shaping the kind of young men that walk out into the world.
We use sport as the gateway to:
- +Build connection beyond performance
- +Create real conversations
- +Develop emotional awareness
- +Strengthen relationships
- +Create a ripple-out culture effect
- +Build the next generation of community leaders
Not a lecture.
Not a classroom.
Side-by-side.
Hands-on. Real.
- ×A lecture
- ×A classroom session
- ×An education session
- +Experiential — hands-on
- +Real
- +Built for boys and men, side by side
- +Brings team, club, family + community together for the greatest impact
One workshop.
Four ripples.
Sons
- +Stronger identity
- +Confidence
- +Emotional awareness
Fathers
- +Better communication
- +Deeper connection
- +Tools to show up
Clubs
- +Stronger culture
- +More connected teams
- +Better environments
Community
- +More grounded young men
- +Stronger families
- +The next generation of community leaders
We’re looking for
aligned partners
to help us reach
the boys who
need this most.
- +Expand into more clubs
- +Increase access for families
- +Reach boys who would otherwise miss out
Pick a level
that fits where
you’re at.
Every level funds real workshops in real clubs — and unlocks the same authentic brand association.
Workshop Sponsor
$1,250
Funds one workshop
- +20–50 fathers and sons impacted
- +One sporting club, one night that changes the room
- +Online + on-the-night branding
Season Partner
$3,750
3 workshops
- +Builds consistent impact across multiple clubs
- +Featured in story-driven content for the season
- +Acknowledged at every workshop you fund
Season Partner
$6,250
5 workshops
- +Expands reach across communities
- +Headline brand alignment in season recap
- +Speaking or presence opportunities at events
Community Impact Partner
$10,000+
Large-scale rollout
- +Supports boys without father figures
- +Reaches lower socio-economic communities
- +Anchor partner for the full Courage Beyond the Paint program
Not just branding —
alignment.
Online branding
Logo + name placement across the program's web presence and post-event recaps.
Social media features
Story-led posts naming your business as part of what's actually possible in these rooms.
Story-driven content
Real photos, real video, real quotes from fathers and sons — content you can share too.
Event presence + branding
Acknowledgement at workshops, signage on the night, optional speaking moment.
Authentic brand association
Aligned with youth wellbeing, community sport, and the next generation of leaders.
Engagement opportunities
Be in the room. Hand out the merch. Meet the families. Watch the work.
This isn’t just
sponsorship.
It’s a direct
investment.
Boys
Families
Sporting clubs
Communities
Through the environments they already trust — sporting clubs, the last great gathering places of men in Australia.
Your club.
Your culture.
Your community.
Tell us a little about you and the level you’re considering. Ruory will personally reach out to walk through what a partnership could look like.
Ruory Kirkby
Founder, The Rollie Project
- Phone0487 544 509
- Emailruory@therollieproject.com
- Instagram@the.rollie.project
Start the conversation.
Two business days to a personal reply.