The Men’s Table: successful mental health initiative, expanding across Adelaide.
Monday, February 12 2024
Adelaide PHN is pleased to announce that we have commissioned The Men’s Table to establish Tables across Adelaide till June 2025.
The Men's Table is a peer support community group made up of a group of men who have dinner with the intention of having a place to connect with each other and talk about the highs and lows of their lives. The attendees commit to meeting each month which helps to create a safe and trusting environment.
The Men’s Table is a nationally registered not-for-profit organisation with a simple, local approach to community building. Their vision Healthy Men, Healthy Masculinities, Healthy Communities, The Men’s Table helps men build meaningful male friendships and connections by creating non-judgemental places to share, overcoming the stigma that “men don’t talk”. These supported environments help improve mental health and emotional wellbeing; coping skills; suicide prevention; resilient community building; social connection; and assist by giving options on where to seek help.
"Sharing my story with my Table taught me to have the courage to open up with other people in my life. I was able to strengthen relationships, reconnect with friends and I became more confident in my dealings with people. I was more positive in my work and my life as a whole. My problems were the same, I just didn't feel as miserable about them."
Men’s Table participant
The Men’s Table has successfully established five Tables in the Adelaide City and Port Adelaide council areas in 2023. Under the Targeted Regional Initiatives to Suicide Prevention Program, Adelaide PHN has commissioned and will support establishing Tables across a range of new communities in the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western suburbs.
The first step to joining a Table is to attend an Entree. Entrees can be booked for Tables in Northern, Southern, and Eastern Adelaide in March 2024, men interested in joining the Men’s Table can find out more at The Men's Table (themenstable.org)
Any queries relating to this new program or Targeted Regional Initiatives for Suicide Prevention can be directed to Adelaide PHN’s Regional Suicide Prevention Lead, Dani Bacskai, via dbacskai@adelaide phn.com.au or 8219 5900.