Rae Bonney - Men’s & Boys’ Health

Rae Bonney with Alison Downie - May 2022

It was exactly 4 years ago, today that I had the pleasure of speaking alongside AFL Women's Champion Al Downie at the Sandringham Zebras President's Ladies Day and Beyond Blue Round. Alison captivated the room, as she described her experience as an elite sports person, coupled with managing some significant mental health challenges. Back then, Alison wore number 30 for Carlton AFLW, playing in the first-ever women's match - Carlton v Collingwood - in front of a packed house on Friday 3rd February 2017. Going on to notch up 31 games for Carlton, the Blues opted not to renew Alison’s contract for 2022, but Collingwood AFLW were on the hunt for a gun ruck and this superstar was not ready to hang up her boots.We went to air on Sunday, 15 May, to hear Alison’s remarkable story of achievement and demonstration of true grit and resilience at https://www.3wbc.org.au/ Remember, it really is OK to not be OK!! #mentalhealth #aflw #womeninsport #womenshealth

Rae Bonney with Liz Chase April 2022

After starting her career as a user experience researcher in “San Francisco’s vibrant tech start-up community alongside some of the industry’s brightest visionaries”, my friend, Liz Chase moved home to Melbourne to commence legal practice. This, she said, “was the fulfilment of a lifelong dream marred with frustration and dismay at the amount of busy work undertaken by junior lawyers and paralegals which could easily be automated with better outcomes in terms of accuracy, efficiency and resource allocation”.After holding various roles as a legal professional (lawyer, partner and business owner, having started her own firm, Chase Legal), it dawned on her that the practice of law no longer got her out of bed in the morning. What did, however, was “the business of law and the opportunity to transform it”.So Liz, being Liz got out of her bed and co-founded a design thinking consultancy Law DesignED and now couples this with being a lawyer and mentor at Leo Cussen Centre for Law – spending her days developing the next generation of legal professionals and imbibing design thinking into their modes of practice.Design thinking (or human-centred design), she explained, is a “problem-solving methodology originally used by web designers and software developers to make digital environments more intuitive, useful and engaging”.

Rae Bonney with George Donikian - March 2022

A few weeks ago, after many reschedules, I finally lured the great and gorgeous George Donikian into the 3WBC studios, for some much needed on-air merriment.Minutes into the show, I met George, head on, challenging him on the popular and largely uniformed narrative around men and domestic violence. That done we, quickly moved to yacking about the early days of SBS, where it is now and Georges feelings about this. There were very fond mentions of mutual buddies Steve Carey and Paul Guerra where we acknowledged their roles - providing valuable voices of reason within the media, especially around the pandemic.I particularly enjoyed our address to Diana Ashley, who played an important part in a TV revolution that provided access to news in Auslan for the Deaf Community. She was the first Deaf interpreter, who sat alongside George (originally at Channel 0 which became SBS) and translated the 6.27pm news into Auslan for deaf viewers.If you missed the show, or want to listen again, click on the link and hear George regal us with many colourful and comical stories that so aptly illustrate his incredibly accomplished and impressive career.Remember, it really is OK to not be OK and ask anyone that potentially, lifesaving question "What does it feel like, being you today?” @stevevizard @georgenegus @partenaireintroductions #menshealth #malesuicide #mentalhealth #domesticviolence #auslan #deafcommunity #Armenia #Greece #newsreading

Rae Bonney and Jeremy Samson - February 2022

Who gets to be an autism entrepreneur, whilst living on the spectrum, themselves? This guy does - Jeremy Samson. During the past 14 years, he’s singlehandedly smashed stigma, opened doors and created untapped possibility through his staggered start-up @Time to Train. 14 years in, Jeremey has changed hundreds of lives and contributed to the enablement of those living in the Asperger's and autism space. It really is time to train, time to drive and time to move. Listen to our show, in its entirety at my YouTube channel, along with many more like it. Remember, it really is OK to not be OK and ask anyone that potentially, lifesaving question - "What does it feel like, being you today?

Rae Bonney with Mark Eustice December 2021 1

Rae Bonney with Tiffanee Cook November 2021

I’m was so jazzed to be back at the 94.1FM 3WBC studios in November, with a personality who I've crowned “The Pandemic Princess of Podcasts”. Tiffanee Cook. Her Roll With The Punches 🎧🎙️ production has not only entertained thousands, bought stories untold, songs unsung and tears unshed, but is now being aired on the telly at Channel 31. Tiff told it as it is, in a voice like no other, a style that challenges and language that is … well .. I’ll just say “True Tiff”. Tiff's awesome Dad, "Old E" - Ian Cook even made a guest appearance and almost stole the show, giving a reflection on the recent International Men's Day 2021. A cracker of a show and not to be missed. Remember, it really is OK to not be OK!! #rollwiththepunches #mentalhealth #podcasting #storytelling #whatdoesitfeellikebeingyoutoday

Rae Bonney with Craig Turton - 100 WORDS mate to mate - June 2021

I had a quick chat with Craig Turton - co-founder of 100 WORDS Mate to Mate on the last day of Men's Health Week 2021.He told a show stopping story about a roomful of blokes at a charity night raising money and awareness for men’s mental health.About how one brave man stood up in front of this roomful of strangers and told them that he had tried to take his own life.And about his mates, who were stunned into silence as they all sat next to him, listening to his story for the very first time.Hear Craig talk about the vision for 100 WORDS mate to mate and purpose for blokes to start really talking to each other, in an effort to stop losing so many men in our communities to suicide.

A day in the life of a truckie - Rae Bonney with Chris Smith - May 2021l

In the lead up to Men’s Health Week, 2021, we’ll hear a lot of statistics, outcomes, intentions and ideas around things men should be doing to improve their health and wellbeing. I decided to kick off with something a little more up close and personal – actually spending a day in the life of a man - truckie, @Chris Smith of Redpath Carriers. He generously invited me to jockey and chat whilst hauling 24,960 kg's of hard Australian wheat, up Victoria’s picturesque @Western Highway in his 1999 Kenworth104 Areodyne, to the historic, gold mining town of Ballarat. Starting at the @Port of Melbourne we yacked about how happiness, far outweighs money, physical exercise and diet on the road are important – plus and including 17 minutes of waffle that contains some beautiful gems. Hopefully this little piece will inspire people to wonder about what’s on a truck, where it’s going, who it’s serving and why … not to mention the person behind the wheel. Unscripted and rough as guts, please share this simple, but ever so special adventure with Chris and I. #trucking #truckinglife #truckingindustry #lovewhatwedo #happinessmatters #ballarat #australiangrown #menshealth #mensmentalhealth #menshealthweek #nutritionmatters #ontheroad #kenworthtrucks Kenworth Truck Co. Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds Australian Trucking Association

Sam Canning with Rae Bonney - April 2021

Sam Canning is one of Australia’s leading ethical butchers and has spread this word from his start up store in Hawthorn, Melbourne, Australia to 8 more community supporting initiatives, since 2010. With kindness and care at the heart of everything Sam and his team represent, it’s no surprise that human beings and animals benefit from his approach. Inspired by ‘paddock-to-plate’ butcher shops in the UK, Sam has managed to build a space that supports the greater good of all beings. #mensmentalhealth #menshealth #malesuicide #Connecting #ActofRandomKindness #recovery #mentalhealth #butchers #ethics #animals @3WBC Presenters

Steve Bastoni with Rae Bonney - April 2021

Much loved and acclaimed actor, Steve Bastoni is well known as a leading man on Aussie telly productions such as Police Rescue and Neighbours – not to mention a string of impressive movie credits including Emmy award winner, On the Beach, Matrix Reloaded and The Water Diviner. Since then, Steve has played one of his most important roles as an outspoken advocate in the mental health space - contributing largely through his personal experiences, to inspire a much needed call to action. Steve also continues to bring joy and connection through his creative artistry - juggling three film festivals and the Peninsula Film Office that produced the massively award-winning short film "The Gift" - spotlighting an unexpected act of kindness which changed a man’s trajectory. https://vimeo.com/channels/1073282/158266545. Steve is joined me, live at the 94.1FM 3WBC studios, in April, when we compared notes about mental health and men’s health - spinning some yarns about his own experiences, insights and road to recovery. Not surprisingly, he’s quite the storyteller.