In Queensland, men continue to experience disproportionately high rates of suicide. We have funded The Men’s Table to establish eight tables across Queensland to create safe spaces and places for men to connect, share and belong.
We recognise that male suicide requires targeted attention and a concerted effort to address and understand the underlying issues that might lead men to crisis.
Strategies to identify opportunities to intervene with men who may be vulnerable to suicide—but who may not be interacting with the formal mental health or suicide prevention systems—are needed.
We need to create situational opportunities where men can feel safe to share life’s highs and lows, be heard, and supported within their local communities.
What we did
We commissioned The Men’s Table to establish eight tables and evaluate the program across Queensland for a period of 24 months from March 2024 – March 2026.
The tables will be established in Nundah, Toowoomba, Logan, Ipswich, Gympie, Hervey Bay or Bundaberg, Cairns and Townsville.
The Men’s Table program offers an opportunity to better understand the needs of men in community and identify effective supports across metropolitan, regional and remote Queensland locations to help build the evidence base around male suicide prevention.
The program is a national community-building and men’s mental health and suicide prevention initiative providing grassroots support through men supporting men.
At each table a group of 10-12 men meet monthly, share a meal and conversation—listening, sharing and supporting each other.
As a multi-impact program, the model centres on prevention, increasing awareness of men’s mental health, wellbeing and suicide prevention; building community resilience at the local level; increasing social connectedness; embracing healthy masculinities; and enabling help-seeking support pathways for men.
How does this support reform?
Every life: The Queensland Suicide Prevention Plan 2019-2029 Phase Two (Every life) outlines a range of actions to respond to those disproportionately impacted by suicide including men and men’s suicide prevention.
Action 16 is to ‘develop strategies to address contributors to male suicide, including service appropriateness, service gaps and system navigation’.
The Men’s Table aligns with the identified Every life action, particularly given the disproportionately high rates of male suicide in Queensland.
Further information
If you would like to find out more about this work, you are welcome to get in touch with the Commission via info@qmhc.qld.gov.au.
To find a local men’s table please visit their website: The Men's Table - Healthy Men, Healthy Masculinities (themenstable.org)
