If you’ve been following The Man Cave for a while, you might already know Ged Franzmann.

Ged is our Research and Evaluations Coordinator. They are the person behind our data, our insights, and the way we make sense of what is happening in rooms with boys. They have a rare ability to make research feel alive and accessible, not just to academics, but to the schools, communities, and families this work is designed to serve.

Earlier this year, Ged was awarded a sponsored PhD in partnership between The Man Cave and Flinders University, funded through the Australian Government Department of Education’s National Industry PhD Program.

We are so proud of them. And we wanted to take a moment to say that properly.

The research

The research will explore how school-based programs for adolescent boys and young men can promote mental health, healthy masculinities, and positive relationships.

It is exactly the kind of question we wrestle with every day. And having someone like Ged lead that inquiry, someone who has lived it, who has sat in those rooms, who understands at a bone-deep level what is at stake, gives us real confidence in where this work is headed.

For those who haven’t read Ged’s story, we’d encourage you to. They have written honestly and beautifully about their own experience of mental health, help-seeking, and what it finally felt like to take off the mask. You can read it here.

In Ged’s words

Here is what Ged shared when the PhD was confirmed.

“Home wasn’t always a safe place for me growing up. I’ve always been motivated to support research and practice that helps young people live lives free from violence and control, so being able to make my own contribution to help other families avoid experiences like mine means a lot.

I’m super grateful to my supervisors for deeply believing in this work and navigating this journey with me. Dr Mel Opozda, Prof James Smith, Dr Ian Zajac, and Dr Rohann Irving.

I’m also in awe of my mum. Thanks for teaching me that love is unconditional and infinite. This one’s for you, bestie.”

That is the kind of person doing this research. Not someone observing from a distance. Someone who has lived it, who understands what is at stake, and who has chosen to spend their career trying to change it.

From Dr Mel Opozda, Research Fellow (Men’s Mental Health) at Flinders University

“The Flinders team is incredibly excited to be partnering with Ged and The Man Cave on a project that speaks directly to the wellbeing of boys, young men, and their communities. It’s a privilege to contribute to work that brings together lived experience, community insights, and academic rigour in ways that can genuinely shift ideas of manhood, improve wellbeing, strengthen communities, and support safer futures. Thanks to the Australian Government Department of Education for supporting this research.”

Why this partnership matters

This partnership matters to us because the field needs more research that is grounded in real programs, real schools, and real boys. Ged’s work will help us understand what is actually working, not just what we believe is working.

That distinction matters enormously when the stakes are this high.

We will be sharing updates as the research progresses. In the meantime, congratulations Ged.

We are so glad you are in our corner.