For a lot of men, discussing footy over a beer is about the extent to which they will open up.

But thanks to the Men's Table, men from all walks of life are venturing toward a healthier sense of masculinity and finding a sense of community among other blokes through simply talking it out.

The Wangaratta Men’s Table was established in 2023, and since then, they’ve been looking to recruit men from the local area to join them at dinner once a month to share and listen on Tuesdays.

The nationwide organisation's Victorian regional host, Bill Karametos, said it’s not that men are emotionally inept; rather, being emotionally vulnerable isn't as widely accepted among blokes.

“What we’ve realised at the Men’s Table is if we provide them with that safe space, men can and will open up with people they trust,” he said.

“That trust takes time to build… some men take time, some men can do it instantly.

"Instead of not telling anyone, which is what we're (men) renowned for, it's the ability to walk into that safe space and say 'hey fellas, is it alright that I share something with you?"'

“But that safe space is vital for men to know that what’s said in the room, stays in the room."

One of the fundamentals of the Men’s Table is no fixing and no judging.

Bill said the intention behind this is asking if someone wants advice is a better approach than assuming someone wants advice.

“I know personally that when I can talk about stuff that’s going on in my life, by the time I’m finished sharing my story and I haven’t been judged and I haven’t tried to be fixed, you feel a lot better,” he said.

“Knowing that won’t happen when you share you stories is really important.

“Think about those times where you want to share your story with your friends, colleagues, etc and they just want to fix you, judge you, by the time you’ve finished you’re more confused.”

At the Men's Table, you can yarn about anything; from personal milestones to life's obstacles, both the highs and the lows.

"We don't want it to be too formal, but we know there needs to be structure," Bill said.

"We want people to share about their holidays, a great book their reading, they've had a grandchild or a kid, their kid's graduated.

"Because, how many times is it that something wonderful is happening in your life and you've had no one to share it with?

"The lows, that's totally up to the person to share; it could be a health issue, financial issues, marital problems."

The Men's Table welcome all men, aiming to foster an environment that's inclusive and diverse.

To read more about the Men's Table and how you can get involved, visit themenstable.org/, or reach out to Bill on 0414 235 563.