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PIRATES off the PLANK & into PASSION

Pirates Off the Plank & Into PASSION – Group Chat Overview
Welcome aboard Pirates Off the Plank & Into PASSION, a private group chat within our Pumicestone Passage Pirates Facebook community. This is a safe, supportive, and judgment-free space where you can be open, honest, and vulnerable—whether you're going through something tough or stepping into something new.

Here, we’re not just getting off the plank—we’re diving into passion, purpose, and potential.

This group is supported by a team of experienced professionals—ranging from mental health practitioners to business mentors—who are here to listen, guide, and encourage. We believe in the power of truth, community, and personal growth.

Whether you're healing from trauma, facing challenges, or chasing a dream, this space is for you.

We also support:

  • Innovation and entrepreneurship

  • Turning passion into purpose

  • Building small businesses and social projects

  • Creative ideas that make a difference

See the full list of experts on our website and join the conversation now—because no one should have to walk the plank alone.

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​🔗 Join the conversation now: https://m.me/ch/AbbP4slNoE8pM2zX/

💙 What This Chat is About:

How We Support Our Members

1. Domestic Violence Support

  • A safe, confidential space to speak openly without judgment.

  • Peer-to-peer support and lived experience stories.

  • Referrals to trusted domestic violence services and professionals.

  • Emotional guidance from trauma-informed practitioners.

  • Advocacy and awareness through events, storytelling, and outreach.

2. Suicide Prevention

  • Immediate emotional support through our group chats and community check-ins.

  • 24/7 encouragement in our online safe space, promoting honesty and vulnerability.

  • Connection to crisis helplines and mental health professionals.

  • Ongoing community activities (like fishing and camping) that reduce isolation and provide purpose.

  • Regular awareness campaigns and fundraising efforts for suicide prevention organisations (e.g. Black Dog Institute).

3. Mental Health Awareness

  • Normalising conversations around anxiety, depression, PTSD, and more.

  • Guest talks, expert content, and personal stories that reduce stigma.

  • Open group discussions that help members feel seen, heard, and validated.

  • Access to wellbeing professionals in the group chat.

  • Focus on activities that improve mental health: time in nature, connection, movement, creativity.

4. Conscious Awareness & Personal Growth

  • Encouraging deep reflection and self-honesty through guided questions and community conversation.

  • Sharing resources on mindfulness, meditation, breathwork, and healing.

  • Inspiration from thought leaders like Brené Brown, Gabor Maté, Matt and Sarah Brown, and others.

  • Gentle support in rebuilding identity, values, and inner peace.

  • Promoting self-regulation, inner stillness, and emotional literacy.

5. Health & Well-being

  • Promoting clean living and a positive lifestyle through fishing, camping, and outdoor connection.

  • Discussions on nutrition, fitness, sleep, and healthy routines.

  • Input from health professionals and alternative medicine advocates.

  • Support with breaking unhealthy habits and forming supportive ones.

  • Tools to care for yourself physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

6. Supporting Each Other

  • A non-judgmental group chat where you can speak freely without fear.

  • Mutual encouragement: “What’s worked for me” rather than telling others what to do.

  • Celebrating wins, holding space for setbacks.

  • Regular community check-ins to ensure no one feels alone.

  • Connection through real friendships and shared purpose.

7. Business, Innovation & Entrepreneurship

  • Helping members identify what they love—and how to turn that into a career or project.

  • Brainstorming ideas together and offering feedback in a trusted space.

  • Promoting group members’ businesses and initiatives through Pirate TV and social media.

  • Mentoring in small business, grant writing, brand-building, and digital presence.

  • Creating opportunities for collaboration, co-working, and skill-sharing.

8. Finding & Following Your Passion

  • Encouraging every member to step into their unique gifts.

  • Providing practical support to build a “passion project” that brings meaning.

  • Helping people discover who they are beyond their pain, trauma, or roles.

  • Giving permission to dream again—and take action toward those dreams.

  • Celebrating courage, creativity, and self-expression in all its forms.

Pirates Off the Plank & Into PASSION

A Peer-Supported Movement by Pumicestone Passage Pirates Inc. (Incorporated Association No. IA58974)

Leadership Team

At the helm of Pirates Off the Plank & Into PASSION is a leadership team grounded in experience, compassion, and purpose. This movement is all about helping people step off the plank of pain, shame, or self-doubt—and into their passion, purpose, and personal healing.

Jack Sparrow – Mr. Ross Dawson

Ross Dawson is the guiding force behind the Pirates Off the Plank & Into PASSION movement. With over two decades of experience in holistic support work and more than 5,000 hours of one-on-one client time, Ross offers a grounded, safe, and heart-led space for emotional exploration and self-discovery.

Ross draws on his extensive background in yoga-based and integrative support, combining ancient wisdom with contemporary practice. His work empowers people to slow down, feel what needs to be felt, and reconnect with the inner strength they already carry.

Ross’s Strengths Include:

  • Conscious conversation and deep listening

  • Emotional clarity and nervous system regulation

  • Guiding people through burnout, breakdown, or emotional overload

  • Helping members rediscover purpose, stillness, and direction

  • Anchoring the group in non-judgment, presence, and inner wisdom

Ross is the President of this movement—our compass, our calm in the storm, and the steady anchor who helps us chart a new course.

Vice Captains – Mr. Shane Fixter & Mr. Jay Davidson

Mr. Shane Fixter
Founder of both Pumicestone Passage Pirates Inc. and Teachers Australia, Shane is an award-winning educator and community leader with 16+ years of experience. He has worked in Aboriginal communities, mainstream schools, and mental health initiatives, and is known for his raw honesty, resilience, and hands-on leadership.

Shane’s Strengths Include:

  • Peer mentorship and trauma recovery

  • Helping members build businesses and passion projects

  • Supporting men and women on personal development journeys

  • Leading community events focused on connection and healing

  • Guiding people from survival to self-belief, and into contribution

Mr. Jay Davidson
A qualified Guidance Officer and high school teacher, Jay brings decades of educational experience and emotional intelligence to the team. He has worked across remote communities and inner-city schools, and is known for his calm approach to difficult conversations and youth support.

Jay’s Strengths Include:

  • Assisting members through emotional blocks and transitions

  • Coaching teens and adults toward clarity, purpose, and resilience

  • Supporting men’s wellbeing and personal growth

  • Providing reflective space for goal-setting and healing

  • Using educational insight to build stronger, more conscious futures

Join the Crew – Callout for Mentors & Experts

We’re building a crew of passionate mentors to help support our growing community of Pirates who are ready to transform their lives.

We're seeking:

  • Business mentors & innovation coaches

  • Mental health advocates and peer supporters

  • Trauma-informed practitioners

  • Men’s and women’s well-being mentors

  • Youth and family support workers

  • Creative industry guides (music, art, writing, storytelling)

  • NDIS & accessibility champions

  • Indigenous knowledge keepers and educators

  • People with lived experience who want to give back

If you have skills, heart, and a desire to support others without ego or agenda—we’d love to welcome you aboard.

Our Ethos

  • We believe in truth, vulnerability, and connection.

  • We believe healing can happen through fishing, storytelling, and feeling seen.

  • We believe business and creativity are powerful tools for transformation.

  • We believe in purpose beyond pain.

  • We believe no one should have to walk the plank alone.

Legal & Organisational Disclaimer

Pirates Off the Plank & Into PASSION is an initiative under Pumicestone Passage Pirates Inc.
Incorporated Association No. IA58974 | Queensland, Australia

We provide peer-to-peer emotional support, lived-experience guidance, and informal mentoring only.

We do not provide clinical mental health services, medical advice, legal counsel, or emergency intervention. While some leaders and crew may hold relevant professional qualifications, all support is delivered in a non-clinical, community-based format.

This program operates under Queensland Government laws for Incorporated Associations and is committed to acting responsibly, transparently, and with respect for all legal and ethical guidelines.

If you or someone you know needs immediate or clinical assistance, please contact:

  • Lifeline: 13 11 14

  • Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636

  • Emergency Services: 000

Donate Now

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Developed by the pirates, for the pirates -⚓️’s walk the plank 🏴‍☠️

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