Understand pathways in Australia
Examine how men become radicalised, including the possible roles of online influences, identity, belonging and grievance. Explore how pathways differ and where protective relationships might matter.
RESEARCH & EVIDENCE
The missing
mentor.
Could a positive male role model help change a path towards radicalisation? Fund research into how men in Australia become radicalised, whether mentorship could help, and how mentors would need to be prepared.
Contact us ↗A funding opportunity · Scope agreed with partners
PROPOSAL DEVELOPED WITH
THE OPPORTUNITY
Could a male role model
change the trajectory?
The Missing Mentor asks whether a sustained connection with a trusted, positive male role model could be one protective factor against radicalisation. It starts with understanding how men in Australia are drawn towards extremist beliefs and groups, and where a different influence might make a difference.
The research would examine what kind of role model or mentor, if any, could help: who men would trust, when that connection might matter, and what the relationship would need to offer. It would then identify the skills, training and support our mentors would need to put the findings into practice safely.
WHAT YOU COULD HELP FUND
Understand the pathways.
Test the role of a mentor.
Identify the role model who could help
Review whether positive male role models can be a protective influence, for whom and at what stage. Examine the qualities, credibility and type of connection a mentor would need, including when mentorship may not help.
Define the preparation mentors need
Turn the evidence into recommendations for mentor recruitment, screening, matching, skills and training. Identify the supervision, safeguarding, specialist referral pathways and evaluation needed to support the work.
FROM FUNDING TO DELIVERY
A clear scope.
Work we can account for.
Examine the evidence and pathways
Bring together research on radicalisation in Australia, developmental resilience and existing mentoring interventions. Test the proposed role of male role models rather than assume it.
Agree the research approach
Agree the research questions and methods with IEP and academic partners. Keep the focus on Australian radicalisation pathways, the potential role of a positive male role model, and the preparation mentors would need.
Develop practical guidance
Produce recommendations for mentoring organisations and policymakers, including what MM would need to teach and support its mentors to do. Assess the economic costs of radicalisation and related harms to inform funding decisions.
The intended outputs are an evidence synthesis, practical guidance for mentor preparation and program design, and an economic analysis. The research must be able to conclude that particular approaches do not help, or that more evidence is needed.
PURPOSE & BOUNDARIES
A protective role
to investigate.
The proposal envisages research through the Institute for Economics & Peace with an academic partner. Commissioning arrangements, partner roles and the final scope would be confirmed before the work begins.
The study would examine mentoring across different ages and settings, including approaches beyond MM’s adult service. It would not assume that men without a male role model become radicalised, or that mentorship alone can prevent it. Any specialist work arising from the findings would require agreed training, supervision and referral arrangements.
Read our Model of Care ↗THE THINKING BEHIND THIS PROJECT
Based on The Missing Mentor research proposal, developed by Mentoring Men with the Institute for Economics & Peace.
We’ll discuss the supporting material, current delivery capacity and the outcomes to evaluate as part of a funding conversation.
LET’S TALK
Help us understand
who could make
a difference.
Contact us to discuss funding research into positive male role models, pathways away from radicalisation and the preparation mentors would need.