This week, 15-21 June, is Men’s Health Week in Australia and the founder of The Men’s Table says connection, care and honest conversation are helping Australian men model a healthier version of masculinity.
At a time when many Australians are asking where the positive male role models are, The Men’s Table says the answer may be sitting much closer than we think.
They are not always on podiums, platforms or playing fields. They are often in local communities, sitting beside other men, listening without judgement, checking in, showing care, and quietly modelling what healthier masculinity can look like in everyday life.
According to The Men’s Table 2025 Impact Report, A Thousand Men’s Voices, six years of evidence shows that connection is not simply a social benefit – it is a practical, scalable and preventative mental health solution.
Since launching in 2019 with one Table in Sydney and 12 men, The Men’s Table has grown to more than 296 Tables and 2,800 men across Australia, providing safe places for men to have quality, intentional conversations about their lives, health and wellbeing.
The release of the report comes as men’s health, wellbeing and connection receive renewed national attention. The Men’s Table representatives recently met with Assistant Minister for Social Services and the Prevention of Family Violence, Ged Kearney, and Special Envoy for Men’s Health, Dan Repacholi, as they toured Victoria for the launch of the Australian Government’s National Healthy Men Community Conversations project.
The national initiative is bringing together communities and organisations working across men’s health, wellbeing, family and domestic violence prevention, respectful relationships and support services, with a focus on encouraging help-seeking and connection across men’s mental, physical and social wellbeing.
For The Men’s Table, the national focus reinforces what its own evidence has shown – connection is not a soft social issue, but a practical and preventative health response already operating in communities across Australia.
The organisation’s latest impact data shows that men at Tables are building the kinds of relationships many men have been missing. Among surveyed members, 93 per cent say they feel heard, seen and understood at their Table, 85 per cent say the Table supports their mental health and wellbeing, and 76 per cent say that if they were going through a rough time, they could call someone from their Table.
The impact also extends beyond the men themselves. The report shows that while connection can begin quickly, with some men describing feeling welcomed, safe and included from their first Table, the deeper benefits build through the regular rhythm of men gathering month after month. Over time, that connection appears to flow into families and communities, with 68 per cent of men saying they are better able to model healthy versions of being a man, 60 per cent saying they are more able to care for their families, and 54 per cent saying they are more able to care for their communities.
The Men’s Table Co-Founder and CEO David Pointon said the national conversation about men and boys often focuses on what is going wrong, but the organisation’s data and stories point to a more hopeful and constructive narrative.
“We often ask where the male role models are, but our experience tells us they are already here – in suburbs, regional towns and communities across Australia,” Mr Pointon said.
“They are the men who keep showing up, who listen, who learn to be open, who check in on each other, and who are redefining strength as something that includes care, vulnerability and connection.
“The national focus on healthy men and community conversations reinforces what we are seeing every month at Tables across Australia. Men want and need places where they can speak honestly, be heard without judgement, and build the kind of trusted relationships that support better health, stronger families and safer communities.
“Connection is a proven, scalable solution, and it is time we treated it like one.”
The human stories behind the data show why the model matters.
Malik, who moved to Australia two years ago and became a new father, joined The Men’s Table after struggling to make friends and feeling reluctant to seek help. Through his Table, he found a place where men from different backgrounds could speak openly, share the good and difficult parts of life, and feel less alone.
Stephen came to The Men’s Table during a period of significant personal crisis. Used to being “the fixer”, he found himself overwhelmed and isolated. What he discovered at his Table was not advice or judgement, but men who kept listening. That care helped him take steps toward professional support and begin building new friendships.
For William, The Men’s Table created a kind of connection he had not found elsewhere. His Table gave him a place to check in with himself, speak honestly, and form friendships that extended beyond the monthly dinner — including bike rides and practical support between men.
Mr Pointon said these stories reflect a broader shift in how men themselves are defining healthy masculinity.
“The men at our Tables are not asking for permission to care. They are already doing it,” he said.
“What we are seeing is a powerful counter-narrative – men want deeper connection, they want to be better listeners, better fathers, better friends, better partners and better members of their communities. The role modelling happens when other men see that in action.”
The 2025 Impact Report found 95 per cent of men agreed that a healthy version of what it means to be a man includes being able to openly express care for themselves, other men, their families and their communities.
The Men’s Table says this matters because many men still do not naturally seek formal support when they need it. By building trusted peer groups before crisis, the organisation is creating protective relationships that can help reduce isolation, improve wellbeing and normalise help-seeking.
“This is preventative mental health in its most practical form,” Mr Pointon said.
“A Table is not therapy, and it is not a crisis service. It is a safe, consistent place where men build the relationships and emotional skills that help them navigate life. That kind of connection is simple, but it is also deeply powerful.”
For more information on how you can join or start a new table, visit www.themenstable.org
