Island of Men (IOM) was founded in 2017 by Mikey Lee, Timothy Stubbs and a small team of men who had a simple mission; To provide a safe space where men could connect more deeply with themselves, each other and the natural environment.
The idea came from the recognition that to live a fulfilled and purposeful life, men need access to a few key things: solidarity and brotherhood #tribe, permission to express fully with no fear of judgement #freedom, and lastly, tools to help them get out of their head and into their heart #wisdom.
By meeting these needs, men can have much greater capacity to enrich not just their own lives but also the lives of all who surround them.
And so, it was decided that a 1-day event dedicated to tribe, freedom and wisdom was in order.
The question though was - Where?
After weighing up a handful of potential candidates, the winner emerged... Herring Island.
A little known peace paradise located just 3km from Melbourne’s city centre - 3.2 hectares of island, brimming with beautiful flora and decorated with environmental sculptures. It was an obvious choice for the inaugural Island of Men.
The 1st IOM event was an incredible success.
130 men came together to share space. The message of love and connection palpable throughout the day. Some of Melbourne’s finest facilitators shared content on Fatherhood, Movement, Money, Relationships, Fear and Anxiety, Public Speaking, Singing/Sound Therapy, Breathwork... and even Pirate Yoga.
The men who gathered shared food, shared stories and shared heartfelt experiences throughout the course of the day. By dusk fall, as each man departed the island, they left with a full heart, and a smile on their face, knowing that they had shared a unique experience and formed powerful bonds with their fellow man.
After all was said and done with IOM#1, the glowing feedback began to pour in, and it fast became apparent that a subsequent event was in order, thus began the process of growing the movement to positively impact the lives of as many men as possible across Australia and beyond.
Into its third year, the Island of Men community continues to grow, expanding across Australia, with IOM events finding new homes in Sydney and Tasmania, while planting seeds across the globe.
Now more than ever, Men yearn to be part of a tribe, demand freedom (usually from self imposed limitation), and desire the wisdom to support them on their journey, a journey to show up as the best version of themselves for their families, communities and the world at large.
Thus, we have made it our mission to be there for our brothers, supporting our fellow man to be more of who they are wish to be - by providing the space that is Island of Men.
