The Men’s Table is a nationwide movement of men’s groups who meet regularly to provide mutual support. It provides groups of up to 12 males the opportunity to build relationships and connect with others while discussing the highs and lows of their everyday lives in a safe environment over dinner once a month.
Local men can get a taste of The Men’s Table at a launch dinner, called an Entrée, at The Grande Hotel on Thursday October 5th. The ‘Entrée will run between 6:30 – 9pm and give men an overview of where the Men’s Table came from and the guidelines for conversation.
The Men’s Table started as an informal gathering for dinner and a chat in 2011 and has evolved into a non-profit organisation with 160 Tables across the country. Participation is free. All men pay for is the cost of their meal and maybe a drink.
Men from all ages and backgrounds join Men’s Tables for all sorts of reasons, they might be new to an area, facing retirement, or any number of life changes and they can come together and learn from each other and from those who have been through these things themselves.
What separates Men’s Table from a standard chat people might have with their long-term friends is the desire to go beyond superficial issues, such as how your sports team went on the weekend. The phrase ‘we don’t just talk about footy and shit,’ encompasses the aim of the organisation. It’s really talking about what’s going on with our feelings rather than surface-level stuff that you might talk about with mates.
We’re not there to fix problems, rather to be heard and to listen to the other men so that they feel heard.
Feedback on the success of the group has been overwhelmingly positive, with the vast majority (84 percent of participants) believing their attendance resulted in a stronger sense of community belonging and benefited their mental health (80 percent).
If you’re interested in being a part of The Men’s Table Daylesford Entrée on Thursday 5 th October, please register at: https://themenstable.org/daylesfordentreeoct5/
