The Ripple Project

Teaching Boys to Lead With Strength, Empathy and Respect.

 

 

Overview

Developed in partnership with Allambee Counselling, The Ripple Project, titled Rethinking Strength, is a primary prevention initiative targeting adolescent boys (13-17).

The project directly challenges the rigid masculine stereotypes identified in the Jesuit Social Services Man Box research and addresses the critical gap where boys understand why respect matters but lack the practiced skills for how to enact it, particularly under pressure.

The goal is to establish a new peer norm (“Strong through respect“) by reframing empathy, accountability, and emotional intelligence as genuine strength.

Program Goals

The project aims for deep cultural change by:

  • Challenging Restrictive Masculinity: Directly opposing harmful stereotypes to mitigate the negative impact of the Adolescent Man Box.
  • Building Essential Skills: Equipping boys with practical, high-repetition skills for consent, emotional regulation, and non-violent communication.
  • Establishing a New Norm: Embedding “Strong through respect” as the core cultural standard.
  • Informing National Practice: Creating an open-source, evidence-based model for replication across Australia.

 

Key Features

The Ripple Project is built on an innovative, hands-on structure designed for real-world impact:

    • The Skills Lab: Hands-on training where boys repeatedly practice key social skills to build muscle memory for respect. This includes rehearsing the “Ask-Pause-Check” consent routine and practising how to “call in” friends in tough situations.
    • Designed by Youth: The content is co-created directly with the community. Youth Design Sprints allow boys and girls to shape the program, while Girl-Led Safety Input ensures the definition of respect is grounded in the real-life safety needs of young women.
    • Community Partnerships: We partner with local youth hubs and sporting clubs to embed the “Strong Through Respect” message everywhere, ensuring the positive norms stick outside of school.

      Program Impact

      Boys who participate in the Ripple Project will:

      • Gain practical, real-world skills for respect, including the “Ask-Pause-Check” consent routine and safely stepping in when something is wrong.
      • Change their idea of strength, learning that true strength is about empathy, accountability, and the project norm: “Strong through respect.“
      • Receive consistent support as the program is reinforced at school, at home (via Parent Connect modules), and in local clubs.
      • Have the chance to become a ‘Ripple Crew’ leader, helping to keep the positive culture of respect going in their school community for years to come.

      Join Us!

      By joining the Ripple Project, your school will be recognised as a leader in creating a culture of respect and positively shaping the lives of young men.