OPTUS GRANT HELPS WOLLONGONG'S YOUNG MEN BECOME TOP BLOKES

Optus funding has enabled Wollongong’s Top Blokes Foundation to expand its Junior Top Blokes mentoring program for teenage boys.

Supported by funding of $10,000 from this year’s Optus Community Grants program, mentors from Wollongong’s Top Blokes Foundation are running a 16 week, interactive workshop for the Illawarra’s teenage boys. Workshops address a range of common social issues confronting teenagers, including drugs and alcohol, relationships and mental health.

The sessions provide young men with positive male role models, and help participants learn the skills necessary to develop healthy relationships with their families and friends.

Top Blokes Foundation was created/formed by 19-year old Melissa Abu-Gazaleh in 2006. Since then the Foundation has helped thousands of young men in Wollongong make healthy decisions about their education and future.

Melissa Abu-Gazaleh, Managing Director and Founder of Top Blokes, said, “The Junior Top Blokes mentoring program challenges and inspires teenage boys and young men to grow into responsible citizens by teaming them up with adult role models.”

“The Optus Community Grant has made it possible for us to expand our support services and workshops to 400 young men in the Wollongong region,” Ms Abu-Gazaleh said.

Helen Maisano, Associate Director Corporate Social Responsibility at Optus said, “We are delighted to be able to use our Community Grants program to help the Top Blokes Foundation expand its Junior Top Blokes mentoring program.

“Optus sees a real community benefit by investing in an organisation that helps young men in Wollongong gain an understanding of the impact anti-social behaviour has on their peers and families. Top Blokes provides them with the tools to be able to make healthy decisions, critical to their future.”

The annual Optus Community Grants program awards funding of up to $10,000 to not-for-profit organisations that provides a range of support services to its surrounding community. Over the past five years, Optus has donated almost 1.2 million dollars to more than 200 community organisations across Australia.

For more information on the ‘yes’ Optus Community Grants program please visit https://www.optus.com.au/shop/aboutoptus/communitygrants

Contact Details:

Fuel Communications: 02 8217 6500/ Optus@fuelcommunications.com.au