In episode 225, I speak with charity founder, life-changer and man on a mission, Ian Westmoreland. After many years climbing the corporate ladder, Ian had a defining moment on September 10, 2013 after reading a book given to him by his daughter. So challenged and inspired was Ian, he left his corporate career and started not one, but two charities. His goal is to live his best and most meaningful life. To do that he is focussing on his strengths and helping people overcome their challenges by focusing on their own uniqueness and value. Ian has recently been presented the prestigous 'Order of Australia' award for his incredible work, and the ripple effect it is having. This is an essential and inspiring podcast not to be missed.
Ian Westmoreland spent 42 years working in the Australian and New Zealand telecommunications and energy industries mainly as an IT project manager. On 10 September 2013 he experienced a life changing moment so profound, it would lead him to give up paid work in May 2014 and commence a full-time volunteer career.
It was during his work as a volunteer for not-for-profit youth programs such as the Raise Foundation, Kidshope and COACH, Ian noticed a gap for comparable services for mature adults. However, it wasn’t until his own moment of challenge that he realised just how urgently these services were needed, especially for men, a demographic that has historically struggled with vulnerability and asking for support.
In response he developed the Mentoring Men program in June 2018 and it was officially launched as a registered charity by Julian Leeser, Federal Member for Berowra in November 2018. In just 3 years, Mentoring Men grew to become an Australia-wide, free mentoring service to support men.
With the Mentoring Men organisation now independently up and running, in December 2022 Ian launched another “passion project” called Kintsugi Heroes. Complementing his previous volunteer work, Kintsugi Heroes aims to show how those major moments of challenge we face can change the course of our life, making it even more beautiful and fulfilling than ever before.
Kintsugi Heroes is a weekly podcast of inspirational interviews with people who have discovered beauty, despite the incredible adversities they have faced. It’s a no-holds-barred approach that does not sugar-coat the difficult road to a life of fulfilment and hope.
Ian’s story has been covered on national TV, referred to in both Federal and NSW Parliaments, and included in the best selling Moments in Time book as well as numerous podcasts, newspapers and radio shows.
Ian is using his own strengths to help others do the same, and so impacting is his work that he was awarded and OAM in 2024. This is a powerful conversation, not to be missed.
To find out about Mentoring men, Click here
To find out more about Kintsugi Heroes, Click here
My website is www.andrewjobling.com.au