The Men’s Table is a nationally registered not for profit with a simple, local approach to community building. 

The concept was born in 2011 when co-founder Ben Hughes was struggling with stress at work and a messy divorce and needed somewhere to talk about what he was experiencing and feeling. He and a group of friends got together for dinner with the intention of talking about what’s really going on for them and sharing the highs and lows of their lives. They’ve been meeting once a month ever since.

With a vision of Healthy Men, Healthy Masculinities, Healthy Communities, the aim is to help men build meaningful male friendships and connections by creating safe places to share, overcoming the stigma that “men don’t talk”.

A nationally representative survey of Australian men conducted by Healthy Male found that 43 per cent of Australian men feel lonely and that it is the middle-aged group - ages 35-49 - that are the loneliest. Many negative physical and mental impacts include heart disease, stroke, depression, anxiety and suicide.

There are now over 150 Tables across the country, with more than 1600 men meeting for dinner each month and getting stuff off their chest. The Men’s Table conducts an annual survey of these men at Tables and reports a contribution to the improvement in its members' mental, emotional, and social well-being. 

Their latest evaluation report – The Men’s Table Ripple Effect – spoke to significant women in the lives of men who sit at Tables – partners, wives, sisters, daughters and friends. Some of the key impacts include 43 per cent of women surveyed saying the man in their life is more emotionally available and 10 per cent experiencing less anger and/or violence as a result of a significant man in their life sitting at a Table. In addition, 87 per cent of the men themselves report a sense of community belonging after sitting at a Table for a year or more.

It’s healthy to show emotion and share feelings, yet for many men in their relationships with other blokes, the talk is mostly about ‘footy and stuff’. It is important for men to connect with others and feel comfortable talking about their emotions. The traditional masculine norms of being a "stoic man" have had negative effects on men's physical and emotional health. By breaking these norms, men can have a positive impact on their families and serve as positive role models for younger generations of men.

How can you join a Men’s Table group?

The first step in joining a Table is to attend an Entree event. This will give you a good feel for how the Table works, you’ll meet other interested men and see if it’s a fit for you. There is no obligation to join after attending an Entree. There are no ongoing fees to join a Table, and men simply pay for their own meal and drink each month

Kiama currently has two Men’s Tables, but one does not have the full complement of 12 people, so can take new members. If this sounds like something of interest, get in touch via their website: www.themenstable.org or call 1800 636 782