Gus Worland and Karl Stefanovic will talk about the importance of mateship on Friday at the Novotel Northbeach for Healthier Illawarra Men (HIM), following a live broadcast of The Today Show.

Like many other people Mark Sleigh, the chair of HIM, is no stranger to bouts of not feeling himself and even got to a point where a mate tapped him on the shoulder to tell him he wasn't okay.

"It was an important chat that one of my friends was good enough to reach out and have with me and it's changed the way that I live my life," he said.

"At 18 it's all about going to the pub and having a couple of beers with the boys, but then you get married and go into a different cycle of your life and then have kids. All of a sudden your family becomes your main part ... and mateship becomes something on the side."

Mr Sleigh, who is also the general manager of tourism body Destination Wollongong, said watching the turmoil COVID-19 and pandemic restrictions were causing in the community - especially to close friends - took its toll on him. But he was grateful his mates were able to spot something was wrong.

Graeme Sutherland is one of the friends who helped Mr Sleigh get through the tough period by persuading him to step back onto a golf course.

For the last two years the group of friends have found hitting the green a necessity, Mr Sutherland said, to share concerns and challenges while getting out in fresh air.

"Outwardly we look like pretty well balanced capable individuals, but the vast majority of people have challenges," he said.

"Some people don't have the ability and/or the connections to share their mental challenges.

"I've had a couple of significant periods where [I've battled through problems on my own] so I feel well qualified in saying 'a problem shared is a problem halved'."

Daniel Chin of Barstool Brothers is also part of the organising committee for Friday's event, and a big advocate for mates looking out for mates.

Mr Chin in the past has struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts and has grown to learn the power of story and lived experience - sharing his own with others - helps normalise that it's okay for blokes to not be okay.

Currently he helps run monthly get-togethers at Wollongong burger bar His Boy Elroy where men, and sometimes their sons, come to hang out in a "safe space" for an evening.

"We realised men in the area didn't really know where to turn if they wanted help or someone to talk to," Mr Chin said.

The brunch will support mental health charity Gotcha4Life, which delivers support programs back into the communities where fundraising has come from.

The committee have created a "pay-it-forward" platform to allow access to all men, no matter their income.

For anyone wanting to register for a free ticket, they are encouraged to join the Barstool Brothers Facebook group and send a private message request. Others who wish to purchase pay-it-forward tickets can do so via the booking platform Humanitix.com.

Individual tickets for the Gotcha4Life Mateship Miles Brunch, are $75 (including food and non-alcoholic beverages).

It runs from 9am to 11.30am at the Novotel Northbeach.

Gus Worland and Karl Stefanovic will take to the stage during the brunch for an interview session about mental fitness and the Mateship Miles Roadshow, followed by an audience Q&A session.

A live auction, raffles and other fundraising activities will be held during the morning.

Ticket details are at: https://bit.ly/HealthierIllawarraMen

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