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Wayne Schwass

Former AFL Champion & Mental Health Advocate

Former AFL champion and one of Australia’s leading mental health advocates. Drawing on his lived experience with depression, anxiety, and OCD, Wayne Schwass inspires lasting change in workplaces and communities. A key contributor to Victoria’s 2019 Mental Health Royal Commission, Wayne is a sought-after keynote speaker nationwide.

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Widely regarded as one of Australia’s leading mental health advocates and keynote speakers, Wayne Schwass combines the raw honesty of lived experience with a professional, solutions-focused approach that inspires lasting change.

A former AFL champion with a distinguished 14-year career at North Melbourne and the Sydney Swans, Wayne achieved elite success on the field. Behind the accolades, however, he was privately battling depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. His journey through those challenges has shaped him into a powerful and compassionate voice in the mental health space.

Following his retirement from football, Wayne courageously shared his story, helping to normalise conversations around mental health in corporate and community settings. He played a pivotal role as the lead witness in the 2019 Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health Sector, using his lived experience to highlight systemic gaps and advocate for meaningful reform. He also served as a panel member in the review of the Victorian Mental Health Act, contributing to the future direction of mental health care.

Wayne’s advocacy, credibility, and authenticity have made him one of Australia’s most sought-after speakers for corporate events, leadership forums, and conferences. His message is personal, practical, and deeply relatable — equipping individuals and organisations to build mentally healthy, high-performing cultures.

We were privileged to have Wayne present a webinar to our entire client base, friends and family about mental health and emotional wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Wayne speaks with incredible passion and energy and is highly engaging and captivating. Wayne had a profound impact on each and every person that dialed in to the webinar. Grimsey Wealth couldn’t be any prouder to be supporters and sponsors of Wayne and Puka Up. Grimsey Wealth Pty Ltd
Give yourself the permission to feel your emotions and to express them. A simple yet often underestimated concept that has re-energised our Wellbeing Team! Thank you, Wayne. Your words have empowered us to acknowledge, validate and express our thoughts and emotions; encouraged us to self-regulate and to implement wellbeing strategies to reduce fear or anxiety. Your energy, spirit and genuineness is positively infectious and thank you for lifting us up at a time where we have needed it the most! Thank you for sharing your knowledge, your lived experience and your learnings with Us. We look forward to our next session. Hospital Social Work and Wellbeing Program
Wayne was able to deliver a powerful and impactful presentation that received a lot of positive feedback from the community. The delivery itself was online and had the audience captivated from the beginning. Even though we all weren’t in the same room, it felt like we were, highly recommended. Suicide Prevention Project Officer
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