breaking the cycles of silence
workplace culture program
Silence shapes culture. The question is: what kind of culture are you building?
Grounded in Mitch Brown’s lived experience as the first openly bisexual past or present male AFL player, this powerful, interactive workshop brings the real human cost of silence into sharp focus. Through storytelling, guided reflection and practical skill-building, participants develop the empathy, courage and bystander strategies needed to speak up and prevent harm.
This program moves beyond awareness. It builds the confidence to take action in ways that are realistic, safe and effective, even when it feels uncomfortable.
Who it’s for:
Whole teams and leaders across all levels
Organisations committed to strengthening psychological safety and accountability
You’ll walk away with:
A deeper emotional understanding of the human cost of silence and why it matters
Clear insight into how cultures of silence operate, persist and enable harm
Practical, adaptable bystander strategies for real-world situations
Increased confidence to act without needing to be confrontational or “perfect”
Personal and team commitments that make speaking up safer and more likely
90 minutes | In person
Co-designed and co-facilitated by Mitch Brown (he/him) and Lou Keck (she/her)
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To develop a deeper emotional understanding of the human cost of silence and strengthen personal motivation to act.
To recognise how cultures of silence operate, including the influence of power, identity and group norms, and how they enable harm to persist.
To identify personal and organisational barriers to speaking up, and reframe fear as part of the decision-making process rather than a failure of courage.
To build practical, context-specific bystander strategies that can be adapted to role, power, timing and safety.
To translate insight into clear personal and collective commitments that strengthen psychological safety and make speaking up more likely.
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Pre-Workshop Survey: A short survey for your team to complete helps us assess existing knowledge and gather anonymous questions, allowing us to tailor the session for maximum impact.
Post-Workshop Survey: An opportunity for participants to reflect on their learnings and provide honest feedback on the session.
Impact Report & Next Steps: A detailed report with key insights and expert recommendations to help your team continue its inclusion journey beyond the workshop.
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Prices vary according to group size and delivery format. Get in touch for a quote.
mitch brown
meet your facilitators
Designed in partnership with Queer Town and delivered by Mitch and Lou, the program blends lived experience with specialised, professional expertise.
He/Him | Inclusion advocate, leader, speaker and former AFL footballer
Mitch Brown is an advocate, speaker and leader passionate about challenging harmful norms around masculinity, safety and belonging.
In August 2025, Mitch became the first openly bisexual past or present male AFL player in the game’s 130-year history, a moment that signalled more than visibility. It was a call for safer cultures, disrupting silence and pushing for environments where people don’t have to trade safety for authenticity.
Today, Mitch works across high-performance, corporate and community settings, focusing on creating safer systems and stronger communities. Alongside his advocacy, Mitch brings leadership experience across the social impact sector, including roles as a Board Director, social enterprise CEO and founder.
LOU KECK
She/Her | Leadership and inclusion facilitator, speaker and consultant
Lou is a purpose-driven leader working at the intersection of gender equity, inclusion, mental health and cultural change.
With extensive experience across not-for-profits and social enterprises, Lou designs and delivers initiatives that move beyond awareness to meaningful behaviour change. Her work has focused on sexual harassment prevention, inclusive leadership and youth empowerment, translating complex social issues into practical, interactive learning that resonates across diverse teams.
Grounded in evidence and human connection, Lou is committed to creating environments where people feel respected, supported and empowered to bring their full selves to work and life.
“Mitch’s story is so powerful. i felt a shift in the whole room. it made me reflect on moments i’ve stayed quiet and what I need to do differently next time.”
Workshop participant
“Lou has a way of making complex issues feel clear and actionable. I left feeling really capable and genuinely equipped to speak up in safe ways.”
Workshop participant
program superpowers
storytelling that stays with you
From an all-boys school to the hyper-masculine world of elite AFL and beyond, Mitch shares his rich, deeply relatable lived experience in ways that inspire and motivate audiences to take action, at work and in their personal lives.
PRACTICAL FOR real-world moments
Participants leave with practical, adaptable strategies they can use immediately. Speaking up doesn’t have to be confrontational; we make action feel possible rather than overwhelming.
HIGH-IMPACT, efficient format
Delivered in a focused 90-minute session, the program creates meaningful emotional and behavioural shifts while fitting easily into busy team schedules.
“education with queer town is Actually one of those life-changing experiences that provides the knowledge to enable us to be kind and thoughtful humans and allies.”
workshop participant
ready to LEARN MORE?
Get in touch to request a program overview and explore bringing this vital program to your organisation.