In today’s conversation with Luke Ryan from ABC Coffs and Mid-North Coast, the topic was the importance for men and dads to get together and have a ‘third space’. Jake Pohlman, DadLAN Coordinator for Coffs Coast, is leading the charge to get men and dads to connect, have a place to socialise, and a have a fun moment once a month.
We welcome everyone to join us and experience connection and community.
It looks like Aussie men and dads are picking up the keyboard and controller more often than they’re grabbing a movie ticket or heading out for live tunes.
A recent study reveals that in 2024, more Australians, men and dads included, are turning to gaming as a top form of entertainment.
If you want to see more comments by David Pirogov, Co-Founder and Director of DadLAN, and the full breakdown to learn why the lounge room console or your trusty gaming rig might be the new hotspot, check out the full story on Checkpoint Gaming. Time to get some high scores!
We’re delighted to have our very own James Capplis in a conversation with Jacinta Parsons (ABC Radio) and Simon von Saldern (CEO, Healthy Male) talking about DadLAN, support for dads, non-birthing parents, and health matters.
We welcome everyone to join us and experience connection and community.
This month the volunteer spotlight is on Hayden (HAL), organiser of the Brisbane subnet and our computer repairer/stroggifier who makes his famous FrankenPCs out of various computer parts.
When did you join? December 2023
Why did you join? Start of a separation life wasn’t going well and the ad for DadLAN popped up in Facebook, needed friends and a place to connect to them as I had none.
What do you do at DadLAN? Co-ordinate Brisbane subnet and handling hardware repairs for Queensland.
What do you get out of DadLAN? Friendship, connection to others and a safe space to actually be myself.
What are some key experiences you have had in your subnet? Met a lot of new people in my industry. Shared meals and getting to frag fellow dadlanners even in different states.
This month we hosted events in Brisbane, Sydney City, Sydney Inner West, Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne, Central Coast NSW, Fraser Coast QLD, Bundaberg, Gold Coast, Coffs Harbour, Hobart, Canberra, Launceston, Bendigo.
This month we hosted events in Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne, Central Coast NSW, Fraser Coast QLD, Bundaberg, Gold Coast, Coffs Harbour, Hobart, Canberra.
Thanks to BattleBit Remastered for donating dozens of licenses to us so that we could play DadLAN vs Oceania as our national game this month
Thank you to our sponsors!
Once again, we offer a huge thank you to our sponsors; their contributions to catering and venue hire, equipment and more cannot be overstated. Thank you from all of us for aiding in our goal to improve mental health and support for Dads across the country.
This month DadLAN hosted another huge event in 10 locations across Australia: Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne, Central Coast NSW, Fraser Coast QLD, Bundaberg, Wollongong, Canberra.
Next month we are booting up: Hobart & Gold Coast (and maybe more!)
The Central Coast subnet almost didn’t happen this month because wind knocked out the power supply to the Spark CC venue! Not to be deterred, our subnet organiser and the venue provider got a diesel generator and Starlink connection going. Tremendous effort!
Thank you to our sponsors!
We continue to be humbled by the extraordinary support our sponsors provide; from catering to venue hire, to equipment, and more. Thank you from all of us – you are helping us grow and flourish in our goal to improve mental health and support for Dads across the country.
We also have a raft of big news and announcements:
Statistics
At its core DadLAN cares deeply about data both in the wider mental health space and making sure to capture good and actionable data from events so that we know what is working and what isn’t. We have established a new internal research team and we are delighted to be able to collate these key statistics so far:
DadLAN Pushup Challenge
Andrew in Queensland ran a successful pushup challenge, raising $1260 for Headspace. Congratulations to all involved!
DadLAN MaxHealth
Each quarter DadLAN will run a competition for each subnet to encourage its participants to do the health thing they know they should do, but don’t. After all, you can’t have mental health without physical health.
This quarter we are focusing on Skin Checks. The subnet with the highest percentage of Dads who complete a skin check this quarter will get a trophy and a mystery box.
We encourage each subnet to engage in light competition and social pressure in order to win 🙂
Merchandise
We now have hoodies available to buy in our shop – perfect for winter!
June saw well over 140 DadLAN participants from nearly every corner of Australia join us for our biggest event ever! We even had several new Subnets (that’s what we call our local chapters of DadLAN) come online for the first time!
It’s been a week since DadLAN May, and what an afternoon! Games were played, lunch was eaten, friendships were solidified, and lives were discussed.
And with nearly 60 attendees across 5 locations plus remote players, we are getting dangerously close to maxing out the biggest maps in a number of games!
What the attendees said
DadLAN has provided a supportive and inclusive space both in person and online that I didn’t even realise was missing.
DadLAN has given me a community again
Great initiative and helps blokes go into places well beyond gaming, things that we think we can’t asks mates because its not what men do.
Thanks
A huge thank you as always goes out to our supporters for the month:
Catering
Domino’s Pizza Hervey Bay
Fraser Coast Artisan Pasta Bar
Guzman y Gomez Mexican Kitchen
Venues
ItsBroken Digital
City of Sydney
Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre
Nunawading Community Centre
The Mawson Centre
The People
It takes a decent number of people, both on the day, and throughout the month to make DadLAN happen, and a huge thank you goes out to every one of you.
DadLAN June
DadLAN June is coming! Lock June 16th into your calendars and keep your eyes peeled for tickets which will be available soon. Also keep an eye out for the new subnets which will officially be coming (or returning) online!
