The Menslink board announced Ben Gathercole as the new CEO on Tuesday. Photo: Michael Battenally.
Menslink has announced the appointment of author and high-performance coach Ben Gathercole as its new CEO.
The organisation, which provides free counselling, mentoring and education programs for young men aged 10 to 25 in Canberra, said Mr Gathercole will be a “brilliant fit” for the team, bringing “a lot of credibility” to the position.
Mr Gathercole has previously worked with the ACT Brumbies, Triathlon Australia and Canberra racing driver Cameron Hill. He will begin his new role at the beginning of May.
Speaking to Region, Menslink chair Michael Battenally said he felt a “really good vibe in the team” when Mr Gathercole met with the Menslink board on Tuesday and hopes his connections to the sport and business world will benefit the organisation moving forward.
As Mr Battenally explained, while Mr Gathercole is a “strong high-performance sports person”, he also brings a “strong sense of leadership”, listening skills and a positive attitude that will help “support people to be stronger in their future”.
“My time at Brumbies and Triathlon Australia has not only taught me valuable skills but also an in-depth understanding of working for the benefit of young people,” Mr Gathercole said in a prepared statement.
As a native Canberran, Mr Gathercole also has a “strong understanding” of local issues and an awareness that “Canberra works differently”. His insight will be vital as Menslink continues to support young men and boys in the local area, with help from a range of partners throughout the ACT.
“Our valued contributors and partners are critical to our ongoing ability to service young guys. We value their contributions and will never take these for granted. We support and strive to provide the best for every contributor to the Menslink ecosystem,” Mr Gathercole said.
Menslink has helped to improve the lives of young men in Canberra for more than 20 years by tackling issues such as mental health problems, substance abuse, aggression and violence. By providing boys with positive role models, support and education, Menslink hopes to make the community a better place.
“Menslink is very happy with the work that has been sustained for over a decade with [outgoing CEO] Martin Fisk and the work Penny [Burns, general manager and acting CEO] has been doing in the last few months,” Mr Battenally said. The organisation is “looking forward to reviewing our strategic priorities at the moment” as Mr Gathercole steps into the new role.
“We always look to never be complacent,” he said, adding that it will be great to “have new eyes to take a look at how we work and … recalibrate the way we provide services throughout the community”.
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