How storytelling is helping shape boys into healthy men

"Now's the time for accountability," Ben Vasiliou says after several harrowing weeks of allegations about men's violence against women.

He has just clocked up 18 months as CEO of men and boy's preventative mental health charity Man Cave, where he has increased outreach by 40,000 boys.

This is despite only nine per cent of government investment in their programs teaching boys and young men about emotional vulnerability, gender equality and healthy masculinity.

"We've gone from working with about 80,000 boys in our first 10 years, to now working with 120,000 boys. The need and demand is significant," he tells AAP.

"We're motivated by the fact 75 per cent of all suicides are still men but the vast majority of violence against women and children is perpetrated by men."

One government-backed initiative is Man Cave's healthy masculinities trial, educating boys about consent, control, boundaries and emotions.

At the start of the program about 31 per cent feel comfortable talking to mates about their feelings.

"That's the definition of courage, being willing to talk to your mates about what's going on in your life," Mr Vasiliou says.

He points to a wall inside Man Cave headquarters, which is down a lane surrounded by cafes and boutique bakeries in Melbourne's trendy Brunswick.

Photos of a dozen diverse young men who help run the workshops adorn the space.

They share their experiences to encourage the boys to open up, something Mr Vasiliou says comes from traditional First Nations storytelling.

"It's actually based on ancient rights of rites and the boys challenge each other.

"We look back on First Nations culture, storytelling and dream time ... How have I showed up in history and what does that look like for me?"

Better Man: Promoting Masculinity for Good offers a guide to modern manhood for parents, educators and boys, drawing on two decades of work as well as his own experiences.