Supporting men through a regular conversation

International Men’s Day is 19 November, and the theme for 2025 is ‘Supporting men and boys’.

A key aim of International Men’s Day is to highlight some of the social issues that men and boys struggle with, including mental health and stigma at all ages.

The theme this year encourages communities across Australia to celebrate people who make a positive impact in the lives of men and boys, including a positive impact on mental health.

To celebrate the volunteers who provide selfless support to men in the Southern Cross Care community, we spoke to male companionship volunteer John Goff about why the role is so important.

John is a former truck and bus driver. When he retired from work, he thought, “I should spread myself around a bit and see if I can make other people happy as well.”

It didn’t take long for him to find there were residents at Oakfield Lodge Residential Care who had a need for more tailored social connection in support of their mental health and wellbeing.

So he began visiting Oakfield Lodge for a few hours each week to sit one-on-one with a small number of men in particular, really focusing on getting to know them and what’s important to their wellbeing.

“I have a little personal philosophy that I have two ears and one mouth and that I should use them in those quantities,” John said.

“I like to try to get the guys to talk about what they want to talk about as opposed to trying to impose what we talk about.

“I just feel that it gives them an opportunity to express what they want as opposed to someone coming along and telling them what to do.”

Some of the men John has visited over the years have had few people visiting them, while others have been very involved with their families and had regular visitors - but all of them have enjoyed a one-on-one chat with John.

“You are helping to make somebody’s life a little bit better than it already is,” John explained. 

“You can broaden someone’s range of people they come into contact with and perhaps give them something else to think about as well.”

John said he also enjoys the company of the men he visits, and that the feeling of giving the gift of companionship is good for his own wellbeing.

For more information about supporting the men in our community through volunteering, visit our Volunteers page.