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In 2020, after experiencing a number of large changes in his own life, Ball joined the charity’s first Victorian Men’s Table based in Melbourne’s CBD.<\/p>\n
“I was at a point where I was questioning who I could really open up to,” he said.<\/p>\n
“I’d built all my friendships mainly based upon sport and so I had a lot of surface level relationships, a lot of people I knew but not many people I knew well.”<\/p>\n
In his role as regional host, Ball now helps set up other Men’s Tables around the state.<\/p>\n
“Everyone needs to eat, right?” Ball said.<\/p>\n
“For us, it’s just a case of picking up a knife and fork and spending a couple of hours with 10, 12 other chaps talking about the deeper stuff in life.”<\/p>\n
“It’s not just being comfortable to talk about feelings with the other men at the table, but the knock-on effects that ripple out into the community.”<\/p>\n
And those ripple effects are broad, with the charity’s 2022 community impact report highlighting benefits including a decreased reliance on alcohol and other substances, an increased sense of belonging, and positive effects on relationships beyond the Table.<\/p>\n
The Men’s Table now has its sights set on a number of other locations throughout the Greater Geelong and Surf Coast region, with a forthcoming table already planned for Clifton Springs and hopes another will follow in Torquay.<\/p>\n
To find out more, or to attend an information session \u2013 affectionately known as an entr\u00e9e \u2013 visit themenstable.org.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A PEER support initiative for men spearheaded by not-for-profit organisation, the Men’s Table, has launched in Queenscliff, providing local men the opportunity to develop and find support in meaningful relationships. The charity aims to improve the mental, emotional and social wellbeing of men through group camaraderie and the encouragement of healthy masculinities. Each Table is […]<\/p>\n